Speakers

Kapor Center

Allison Scott, Ph.D. is the Chief Executive Officer of the Kapor Foundation, formerly the Chief Research Officer, who lead a research team aiming to enhance diversity in the tech ecosystem through: (a) conducting landscape studies and research on interventions within educational settings and the technology workplace, and (b) disseminating effective research-based strategies, resources, and practices across the tech ecosystem.

Leah Buechley is an American educator, engineer and designer who is best known as the developer of the LilyPad Arduino toolkit and other smart textiles. Dr. Buechley is currently serving as an Associate Professor at the University of New Mexico’s Department of Computer Science. She was formerly an assistant professor at the MIT Media Lab.

Albany State University

Dr. Kathaleena Edward Monds, an ASU professor, is the founding director of the Center and said research findings will help inform the university and community on ways to remove barriers to opportunity for families living in fragile communities.  Dr. Monds has worked with K-12 educators in the region since 2007 by hosting and teaching economic education workshops in her role as co-director of the Center for Economic Education. In 2013 she was selected by the Georgia Department of Education to assist with gathering open-source economics curriculum for use by families, and in 2015 was invited to speak to the U.S. Department of Education on the importance of international education initiatives at HBCUs.

Nicol R. Howard, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor and Program Coordinator in the School of Education’s Department of Teaching and Learning at the University of Redlands. Dr. Howard is also the Co-Director of the Race in Education Analytics Learning Lab (REAL Lab) in the Center for Educational Justice where she engages students in quantitative and mixed methods research projects that allow them to critically examine systems, policies, and practices as they seek change within their various professional contexts.

Dr. Tia C. Madkins grew up in Atlanta, Georgia and graduated from Meadowcreek High School in Gwinnett County; she taught elementary school students in Los Angeles, California. Currently, she is an assistant professor in the STEM Education Program and the Department of Curriculum and Instruction in the College of Education at The University of Texas at Austin. Her research focuses on supporting teachers to engage equity pedagogies in STEM classrooms.

Duke University / Unapologetically Dope: Lessons for Black Women and Girls on Surviving and Thriving in the Tech Field

Dr. Nicki Washington is a professor of the practice of computer science at Duke University and the author of Unapologetically Dope: Lessons for Black Women and Girls on Surviving and Thriving in the Tech Field. Her career in higher education began at Howard University as the first Black female faculty member in the Department of Computer Science. She is a graduate of Johnson C. Smith University (B.S., ‘00) and North Carolina State University (M.S., ’02; Ph.D., ’05).

Center of Excellence for Minority Women in STEM, Spelman College

Tamara Pearson, Ph.D., is the inaugural director of the Center of Excellence for Minority Women in STEM at Spelman College, where she will focus on expanding opportunities for women of color in STEM through the development and implementation of high-quality programs. Prior to that, she served as associate director of school and community engagement at the Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics and Computing (CEISMC) at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Constellations Center for Equity in Computing at Georgia Tech

Lien Diaz is a founding director of the Constellations Center for Equity in Computing at Georgia Tech. Bringing an essential core foundation of equity in access and opportunity to computer science education, her role as Director of Educational Innovation and Leadership helps establish the Constellations Center as a leader in expanding computer science education through an equitable and comprehensive approach in national/international, state, and local education systems.

Georgia Department of Education

The Hidden Genius Project

An Oakland native, Founding Executive Director Brandon Nicholson has always felt a deep sense of commitment to promoting equity in the public realm, particularly in the education space. Previously, he was a Senior Associate at Social Policy Research Associates (SPR), where he conducted research, evaluation, and analysis across a range of key social policy areas. Brandon has conducted substantial research in the areas of education and youth development, with a particular focus on issues of equity and access in K-12 education for underserved populations. He has considerable experience investigating linkages among race, class, and youth development.

Douglas High School – Atlanta, Georgia

Julie Flapan is the Co-Director of the CSforCA Coalition and also serves as the Director of the Computer Science Equity Project at UCLA Center X. Prior to that she served as the Executive Director of its founding organization, the Alliance for California Computing Education for Students and Schools (ACCESS). Funded by the National Science Foundation and based at UCLA School of Education and Information Studies, Julie coordinates statewide efforts to strengthen and broaden participation in computing education and is implementing a 5-pronged strategy to promote access and equity to computing education reform in California, specifically for girls and students of color. These strategies include a focus on 1) Policy, 2) K12 Teaching and Learning, 3) Higher Education, 4) Research and Communications and 5) Coalition Building.

Kapor Center

Frieda McAlear is the Senior Research Associate at the Kapor Center, where she brings her skills as a social science researcher and her passion for working with and for marginalized and underrepresented communities, at the Kapor Center. She has nearly a decade of experience managing projects, developing evaluation and research methodology and building nonprofit technology capacity with socially progressive organizations in the Bay Area, Europe and Southern Africa.

Kapor Center

Shana White is the Senior Associate for CS Equity and Justice Initiatives at the Kapor Center. She will be working on Equitable CS Initiatives, supporting both CSforCA and CSforGA, and working with stakeholders in Georgia to improve teacher professional development and increase participation and success for students of color in K12 CS courses.

Michigan State University.

Aman Yadav is Professor in the College of Education and the Director of Masters of Arts in Educational Technology program at Michigan State University. In addition to Ph.D. in Educational Psychology and Educational Technology, I hold bachelors and masters in Electrical Engineering. My teaching and research focuses on computational thinking, computer science education, and problem-based learning

ECEP Alliance

Sarah is the Director of the Expanding Computing Education Pathways Alliance, a project funded by the National Science Foundation. Sarah holds a degree in Women’s Studies and a M.Ed. in Teacher & Curriculum Studies with a concentration in Learning, Media & Technology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She collaborates with broad based leadership teams from K-12, higher education, research, government, and industry to develop strategies that will increase the number and diversity of students in K-16 computer science education and career pathways.

Richard is a Principal Investigator for AccessCSforAll which is an NSF-funded project that focuses on making K-12 CS education more accessible to students with disabilities. It develops accessible tools and curricula, provides professional development, and serves as a national resource. Richard is a professor emeritus in the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Washington.

Jamie Payton is an Associate Professor and Chairperson of the Department of Computer and Information Sciences. Payton researches pervasive computing systems for smart health and well-being, broadening participation in computing, and computer science education. She directs the STARS Computing Corps, a national alliance of colleges and universities with the mission to develop leadership in broadening participation in computing. As a co-founder of the International Conference on Research on Equity and Sustained Participation in Engineering, Computing, and Technology (RESPECT), Payton has helped to establish a scholarly venue to disseminate and promote interdisciplinary research on broadening participation in computing.

UCLA, Department of Statistics

Rob Gould is the Vice-Chair of Undergraduate Studies at UCLA’s Dept. of Statistics, and the founder of DataFest. He is also the lead author of the Introduction to Data Science (IDS) curriculum, which is used in High Schools across the US.

Eleanor Roosevelt High School | New York City, NY

Susan Ettenheim teaches computer science through the arts at Eleanor Roosevelt High School. She is a master teacher of the Beauty and Joy of Computing curriculum and serves as the teacher facilitator of New York City Cross-Curricular Data Science cohort.

Mission Vista High School | Oceanside, CA

Joy Straub teaches Data Science and AP Statistics at Mission Vista High School in Oceanside, CA. She launched the first HS Data Science course in San Diego County, and advises districts, curriculum developers, and researchers on their Data Science materials and pathways.

Bootstrap, Brown University

Emmanuel Schanzer is the Founder and Co-Director of Bootstrap, a former public school teacher, and one of the leaders in the integrated computing movement. He is also the author of their Algebra and Data Science curricular modules, used by CS, Math, History and Science teachers in grades 6-12 nationwide.

Shaw High School | Cleaveland, OH

Shanti’ Coaston is a Computer Science Teacher with a Special Education Background. Ms. Coaston has provided professional development training on technology integration and social-emotional learning at the local, district, and state level. She is one of the Computer Science Teachers Association’s inaugural class of CS Equity Fellows for 2019-2020, as well as a CSTA Honor Society Advisory Member and on the CSTA Board of Directors. She is the Co-Advisor of the Shaw High School Computer Science Honor Society, Girls Who Code Facilitator, ESports Advisor, CSTA Ohio Member, was on the 2017 Ohio Computer Science Curriculum Standards Writing Team, East Cleveland Teacher of the Year 2019, Ohio Lottery Teacher of the Month for March 2020, Certification Magazine wrote an article about her in June 2020, and Cyber Hero of the Month (July 2020).

Shaw High School | Cleveland, OH

Monique S. Davis is an Intervention Specialist with a Computer Technology endorsement who teaches the Independent Living Program (ILP) at Shaw High School. She teaches math and computer skills to students with Intellectual Disabilities (ID), Other Health Impairments (OHI), and Multiple Disabilities (MD). As a CSTA Ohio Member, Davis is the Advisor of the Shaw High School Computer Science Honor Society. Monique Davis has presented professional development training on Workforce Readiness, Technology Integration, Computer Science & Special Education Populations, and Utilizing Ohio Means Jobs K-12 online Backpack. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Davis provided one-on-one technical support to staff members as the nation moved to remote learning. Davis not only teaches at Shaw High School, but she also graduated from Shaw High School.

UCLA Computer Science Equity Project

Jean Ryoo is the Director of Research of the UCLA Computer Science Equity Project. She is Co-PI of the REAL-CS NSF-funded project, focused on amplifying students’ voices regarding what matters most for their sense of engagement, identity, and agency with computing education. This student voice research-practice partnership collaborates closely with educators and students from a low-income urban Latinx community on the West Coast and low-income rural Black communities in Mississippi. Dr. Ryoo’s work focuses on issues of equity related to identity and agency in CS education, working in a research-practice partnership with educators, students, and administrators. She received her B.A. from Harvard University, M.Ed.T. from the University of Hawai’i, and her Ph.D. from UCLA.

Exploring Computer Science

Throughout her career, Gail has focused on equitable education for all students and the impact that teachers and teaching can have on ensuring this. With ECS, Gail works with partner districts on strategic planning related to implementation of ECS, including professional development, leadership development, and sustainability. She is co-designer of the ECS curriculum and professional development model and leads ECS PD Facilitator development. Gail is the recipient of the 2017 SIGCSE award for Outstanding Contribution to Computer Science Education. Prior to joining the ECS team in 2008, Gail held a variety of positions within the field of education. She began her career as a high school mathematics and computer science teacher and subsequently became the AP Computer Science assessment specialist at Educational Testing Service. Gail then moved to the College Board where she worked in the AP Program more broadly, advocating for broadening access to AP and professional development for teachers to support these initiatives. In her spare time, Gail loves to sail and take long walks along the San Diego Bay.

National STEM Funders Network

Award-winning former technology professional and current national STEM Executive who graduated in IE from Georgia Tech. She’s led statewide and national organizations focused on equitable access for underrepresented talent in STEM – specifically technology. She currently serves on the State Advisory Councils for both CS, CTAE and Junior Achievement. She’s also the state leader for organizations like Million Women Mentors and Ferst Readers. She’s served on countless education boards and advisory councils in the K- 16 space. 

University of Puerto Rico Río Piedras

After years of teaching high school math and Spanish and even more years being a technical trainer, Patti Ordoñez went back to school, won a fellowship from the National Science Foundation and received a Ph.D. from the Department of Computer Science at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC).  She is now a tenured Associate Professor in the Computer Science faculty at the University of Puerto Rico Río Piedras, fulfilling the lifelong and unexpected midlife dreams of living in a Spanish-speaking country, having the opportunity to make a greater difference in the world, and becoming a professor. Her research interests are in applying machine learning, data mining, and visualization to multivariate time series analysis, specifically to large repositories of clinical data (now known as Biomedical Data Science). Through collaboration among computational scientists, medical professionals, and others, she helps develop tools to create clinical decision support systems so that medical providers make better diagnosis and treatment plans. She founded the Symposium of Health Informatics for Latin America and the Caribbean and is passionate about making quality health and education accessible to all. She is passionate about diversifying the field of computer science and is active in mentoring and developing K-16 mentoring communities.  She has been instrumental in bringing Exploring Computer Science (ECS) to Puerto Rico.

Bird Brain Technologies

Tom is the Founder, CEO, and Chief Roboticist at BirdBrain Technologies. Tom received a Ph.D. in robotics in 2010 from Carnegie Mellon University in part for his work designing the Finch Robot and Hummingbird Robotics Kit. Tom is the inventor of the remote robots technology used in this playground, and has used it to lead similar playgrounds over a dozen times, reaching several hundred participants.

Constellations Center for Equity in Computing at Georgia Tech

Sababu has been an educator for more than 20 years guided by the Ethiopian proverb, “He who learns, teaches.” He is currently a Constellations Center for Equity in Computing Fellow, for which he welcomes the role as an instructional coach to Computer Science (CS) educators. He also facilitates Georgia school systems with implementing CS programs. He has previously taught a plethora of Mathematics and Computer Science courses and pathways throughout Georgia and Delaware. Mr. Barashango received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics and French from Morehouse College and a Master of Arts in Teaching degree with a concentration in Mathematics Education from Emory University. Furthermore, he holds certifications from Adobe, CompTIA, Certified Internet Webmaster, and Certiport.

Constellations Center for Equity in Computing at Georgia Tech

Terry Foster is a Constellations Fellow for Georgia Tech. He has taught computing courses, provided computing professional development to teachers in multiple school districts in Georgia, led an afterschool program, and run computing summer camps at Georgia Tech. Terry was a part of the final cohort of Georgia Tech’s Operation Reboot, which was a NSF-funded project to retrain unemployed IT workers to be high school computing teachers. He is well-versed in many of the programming tools used to teach computer science (CS) and obtained his teaching certificate in programming in 2012. Terry has seven years of teaching experience and has taught courses in the Digital and Web Design Pathway while incorporating computer science principles (CSP) along the way. In 2015-2016 he won Teacher of the Year while at Carver High School. Over eighty of his students have earned industry certification in HTML and he has maintained one of the highest pathway completion rates in the Atlanta Public School district over the last five years. Terry has also trained APS teachers on the Google Education Suite, App Inventor, Scratch, and GameSalad. In addition, Terry received a Google Rise Grant to develop and teach an afterschool program focused on increasing female participation in CS. Terry earned his B.S in Computer Information Systems and is in the final stages of obtaining an M. Ed. in Instructional Technology. 

Constellations Center for Equity in Computing at Georgia Tech

Payne holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education, two educational specialists degrees in educational and instructional technology with a certification in diversity and inclusion, and a masters of education in educational technology. She has previously worked as a librarian at Clarke County Schools, and was a fifth grade teacher in Gwinnett County Schools. Payne was most recently a middle school science and English and language arts teacher in the Clarke County School District. In Clarke County, Payne also served as the STEAM coordinator, media specialist, and Girls Who Code facilitator, among many other positions.

Payne is an avid fan of Raspberry Pi and is a certified educator in their programming, as well as a Level 1 and Level 2 Google certified educator. She has previous experience as a U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Summer Institute Ambassador and as a Pathways to Possibilities After-School Program Curriculum Developer.

Coach Victor Hicks has six years of experience teaching computer science and technology and over 20 years of experience teaching and coaching in Chicago and Atlanta, Georgia. He is passionate about closing the digital divide among students of color. A proud product of two HBCUs: Fisk University and Clark Atlanta University, Coach Hicks works to provide culturally relevant computer science experiences for students in grades K-12 along with professional development and consultation services for K-12 educators.

University of Illinois at Chicago

Dale Reed is a Clinical Professor in the Computer Science department at the University of Illinois at Chicago where he spearheaded the department’s undergraduate student population growth from 187 students in 2005 to over 1,415 students in 2019, giving over 300 presentations to ~10,000 high school students.  Originally double-majoring in English and Computer Science, Reed obtained his Ph.D. in CS from Northwestern. Reed has long invested in CS education for underrepresented minorities, with over three million dollars in career grant funding.  Fluent in Spanish, Dr. Reed was PI of the NSF-funded bilingual Summer Science Camp from 1992 to 1996, where 90% of the 100 Chicago inner-city middle-school students indicated an increased interest in STEM careers. As co-PI on an NSF SSTEM grant Reed recruited and nurtured 27 Latino, African-American and Female CS students in their CS education at UIC, with 85% of them (23 of 27) going on to tech careers. As a founding member of the Chicago CSTA Reed ran Google-funded CS4HS seminars for multiple years and was part of the team that from 2009-2016 got CS to be a high school graduation requirement in Chicago Public Schools. He has been involved with the replication of the Los Angeles Exploring Computer Science (ECS) grant in Chicago and is a national ECS PD mentor facilitator. He served on his neighborhood school Local School Council (LSC) for 11 years and was a member of the founding College Board Development Committee for three years establishing the new AP CS Principles (CSP) course. He has been on the AnitaB.org Board of Trustees since October 2019.  Reed loves to teach and believes that access to technology education is a justice issue for our time. Reed can juggle and ride the unicycle, though not yet at the same time.

West Hartford Public Schools

Jacqueline Corricelli has been a public school educator since Fall 2003. This is a second career for Jackie who, after earning her degree in Mathematics and Statistics, worked for three years for Raytheon as a Radar Systems Engineer. She is a member of the Connecticut CS Steering Committee created to improve access to and define computer science education at the state level. She is a Table Leader for Grading AP CS Principles and was a Pilot Teacher, Phase II for this course.

Harmony Elementary School – Gwinnett County Public Schools

Hannah England is a K-5 computer science specials teacher at Harmony Elementary in Gwinnett County Public Schools. She holds her bachelor’s in early childhood and special education and her masters in gifted and creative education with endorsements in reading, gifted, ESOL, and computer science. Hannah is a published author of the book “Prayers of a Teacher’s Heart,” and in her spare time she enjoys spending time with her husband and two puppies.

Code Next, Google

Mary Jo Madda (@MJMadda) is the Growth Engagement Strategy Lead for several diversity education initiatives at Google, including Code Next and Tech Exchange. Previously, she was an edtech journalist at EdSurge, a K-8 administrator, and a middle school teacher. Mary Jo has an Ed.M. from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a B.A. from Northwestern University, and is currently a doctoral candidate at UCLA’s Graduate School of Education and Information Studies. She was featured on the Forbes “30 Under 30” list for 2016 for her work in education, and has spoken at venues including Stanford, the University of Virginia, and TEDxChicago.

Thomas County Schools

Erin Rehberg is the Digital Learning and Media Services Coordinator for Thomas County Schools in Southwest Georgia. Erin has helped build and sustain a robust K-12 Computer Science program in this rural district. She is also a member of the Georgia DOE Computer Science Advisory Board and has been a part of SCRIPT training.

NYC Department of Education

I am a K-5 CS Lead Educator from NYC Department of Education. I work as part of the NYC CS4ALL Ingenuity Team as an equity lead to promote and sustain equity in CSEd citywide. Additionally, I am a 2021 NYC Blueprint Fellow working with a cohort of talented teachers to develop and refine the CS content and pedagogy.

George Mason University / Matson MathEd Consulting

Kathy Matson’s work focuses on pre-service and in-service teacher education and professional development in mathematics and computer science instruction. She believes that all students should be able to access STEM and that one of the gatekeepers to this learning is their teachers. She seeks to provide teachers with scaffolding and concrete strategies they can easily use as they seek to improve their mathematics and computer science instruction, with a particular focus on promoting student-centered instruction that is inquiry-based. She teaches graduate and undergraduate education majors in the College of Education and Human Development at George Mason University, one of the most diverse research universities nationally.  She has provided train-the-trainers professional development for Google Asia’s educational program mentors. She provides ongoing professional development training for the K-12 math teachers at Cornerstone Schools of Washington D.C. and teaches Computer Science there.

Jackie Moore has spent the last 16 years engaging young learners with technology through her makerspace, camps, afterschool programs, and workshops. After working more than 25 years in the finance industry she’s also provided formal professional development for Chicago Public School Teachers and for a network of after school program providers.  In 2002, Moore founded LevelUP, a youth-centered makerspace in Chicago and in 2005 she founded  Chicago Knights Robotics, a community-based FIRST high school robotics team. The team has participated in the White House Science Fair, the World Maker Faire, and in several FIRST Robotics Competitions, including a regional event in Sydney, Australia, and the World Championships in Atlanta and Detroit. In 2004, Moore founded Agape Werks to provide academic enrichment to students with a special emphasis on technology. In addition, she founded a Girls Who Code club and the annual Chicago Southside Mini Maker Faire, and she helps schools to establish their own Maker Faires.  Moore has served on boards for Maker Ed and the Hive Chicago Learning Network. She is a Chicago Peace Fellow.

Code Next

Shameeka Emanuel is currently Code Next’s Diversity STEM Strategist and the former Program Lead for Google’s Tech Exchange program. Tech Exchange is a domestic exchange program between Google and a select number of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs). Prior to joining Google, Shameeka was a Senior Product Manager for the Amazon Future Engineer team launching products aimed to increase exposure to Computer Science education in the K-12 space while promoting Diversity and Inclusion in tech. Prior to joining Amazon, Shameeka worked at Intel Corporation where she held a variety of positions. Shameeka has her Bachelor of Science in Systems & Computer Science from Howard University and her Master of Science in Computer Engineering from North Carolina State University.

Micro:bit Educational Foundation

Katie serves as the Head of Partnerships for North America for the Micro:bit Educational Foundation and formerly was an elementary teacher and middle school STEAM teacher who trained thousands of educators to integrate physical computing into their courses.

Code Next

Francisco “Paco” Nieto is the Curriculum Manager for Code Next. He is a former teacher and software developer focused on expanding opportunities for K-12 students in computer science education. He specializes in mobile development, curriculum design, and maker education. Originally from Mexico, Paco has been an Oakland resident for most of his life and has worked with school districts throughout the East Bay. He loves Halloween, laser cutters, music, running, and is learning to play the guitar.

CEISMC, Georgia Institute of Technology

Douglas Edwards is a former electrical engineer with the US Air Force, Associate Professor of Information Technology and high school mathematics, engineering, and computer science teacher. Doug develops K-12 science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) and STEM curriculum and implements online and face-to-face teacher professional learning. He is co-PI for two NSF sponsored awards to broaden participation in computer science. His current research focus centers on culturally relevant computer science STEAM curriculum and teacher professional development.

Atlanta Public Schools – Data and Information Group

As Executive Director of the Data and Information Group, Michael LaMont is responsible for the management of the complete life cycle of student data for APS including the student information system, student-based applications, research and evaluation, testing and assessment, and data analytics. Michael believes in utilizing data as a mechanism to create beneficial change for his district and in the lives of all APS students. He holds a degree in Civil Engineering from Georgia Tech and has worked with Atlanta Public Schools for 10 years.

Encompass Academy – Reno, Nevada

Jessica Svoboda is a high school science teacher with Encompass Academy. With Encompass, she teaches Biology, Physical Science, Computer Science, and Health. She has always been passionate about social issues and uses real-world problems to inspire her curriculum.

CEISMC, Georgia Institute of Technology

Diley (Dyla) Hernández has her B.A. in Psychology and Master of Arts and a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology. Her areas of specialization include motivation, learning and cognition, instructional methods, human development, cross-cultural studies in education, and social psychology. Her research interests include the impact of stereotype and social identity threat on the academic achievement and motivation of minority students, the cross-cultural variation of motivational processes, and Latino student’s academic achievement in STEM education. She serves as the Director of the Georgia Tech GoSTEM and the CAPACiTY programs, and the Principal Investigator for the NSF-funded grant “Collaborative Research Broadening Participation of Latinx Students in Computer Science by Integrating Culturally Relevant Computational Music Practices” (REMEZCLA).

Fulton County Schools

Pam Whitlock teaches AP Computer Science courses for Fulton County Schools for 6 years and will be the IT Department Chair at Innovation Academy, a new STEM high school opening in 2021. She is the 2019 Fulton County Teacher of the Year and the 2019 Aspirations in Computing Educator Award recipient for the state of Georgia. Pam has worked with the GA Tech EarSketch team and with CEISMC for several years to develop culturally authentic, computer science programs and broaden participation in secondary CS programs.

Chinle High School – Chinle, Arizona

Delavita has been teaching for over 20 years, spending 3 of those years as an Assistant Principal. She chose to return to the classroom, after realizing the strong need for computer science education in her district. Her ultimate goal is to provide a better future outlook to her students, by expanding their opportunities through computer science.

Prologic ITS

Jennifer Roeder is a former elementary school teacher of six years from Cherokee County, Ga. She is passionate about the implementation of integrated classroom technology, blending pedagogy. She is certified as a Promethean Certified Teacher and is a Microsoft Innovative Educator. She enjoys introducing Marty the robot to students and observing their desire to learn more about coding.

Robotical

Michael has been involved in Education for over 20 years. He has taught in primary and high schools and has worked with a range of learners facing challenges. At Robotical, Michael is responsible for creating educational resources to support learning outcomes and aligning Marty the Robot’s lessons to national curricula.

Robotical

Nat joined the start-up world in 2020 after a stint in public sector, and before that, agency life. Nat is responsible for aligning marketing strategy with business objectives, lead generation and growing the Robotical brand internationally. Her two kids, aged five and eight, might just be Marty the Robot’s biggest fans.

Cherokee County School District

Bobby Blount is a 1987 graduate from Southern Polytechnic State University in Marietta, Georgia (now Kennesaw State University) with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Science. Upon graduation, he worked in the private sector for a worldwide technology firm with a division devoted to K-12 technologies and support services. He chose to leave the company in 1998 to take a position with the Cherokee County School District as Coordinator of Technology Services. He continued to grow within the District in the roles of Supervisor and Director and helped craft a vision of what a future-ready progressive school district could be. He serves currently as the Chief Information Officer. He and his staff of 68 educators, technologist, analysts and research professionals work tirelessly to provide CCSD students and teachers with a modern, future-ready, technology-robust infrastructure, curriculum-focused software and hardware resources and progressive and innovative professional development opportunities.

Arabia Mountain High School

Isaiah Fleming is a high school sophomore from Atlanta, Georgia, currently enrolled at Arabia Mountain High School in Stonecrest. Aside from computer science, my interests include sports, movies, and constantly learning new things as much as I can. I entered the world of computer science during the pandemic, and Google Code Next has helped me submerge into a plethora of coding concepts

Code Next

Natalie Browne is the Community Manager for Code Next in Chelsea, NYC. Originally from Philly, Natalie graduated from Boston University with a Bachelor’s in Psychology, followed by NYU, where she received her Master’s in Public Health. Natalie’s first foray into the edtech space was as the Strategy and Operations Manager at Emerging Leaders in Technology and Engineering, where she oversaw and taught CS to middle school students in Harlem and expanded the organization’s footprint in Upper Manhattan.

MantisEDU, Inc

Laron Walker is a technology entrepreneur who spends a tremendous amount of his time evangelizing STEM education with schools and organizations focused on kids and education. He works to ensure that education is open, accessible and affordable to all. At present, Laron is developing programs that teach kids workforce relevant skills using computer science and hardware though his Startup MantisEDU.

Cristo Rey Atlanta Jesuit High School – Atlanta, Georgia

Alean Cook is an innovative educator in the STEAM field. She is in her third year as a Computer Science instructor at Cristo Rey Atlanta Jesuit High School. She is the Department Head and the AP Computer Science instructor. Throughout her career, Ms. Cook has been an impressive catalyst for change and an inspiration to other women in the STEAM field.

McIntosh High School

Rob Kramlich has a passion for innovative and inclusive computer science education. He tries to incorporate student interest within authentic project-based curriculum. Rob believes that teacher collaboration is a great tool for improving equity in his classroom and in other CS classrooms throughout the state.

Sofía De Jesús is the author of Applied Computational Thinking with Python: Design algorithmic solutions for complex and challenging real-world problems, and an education professional with over 20 years of experience teaching mathematics and computational thinking subjects to students grades five through college. In her career, she has combined her love of development and curriculum design with her love for teaching. As a teacher, Sofía helps students incorporate the philosophy of computational thinking in courses like game design, circuits, Python, web design, and robotics. Sofía has presented in multiple conferences about the importance of computational thinking and STEM in schools as well as the importance of diversity and equity in how we approach these topics in the classroom. Her most recent presentation was for CSTA’s Equity in Action Summit, where she presented on Equity in Curriculum and Assessment Design in the CS Classroom.

McIntosh High School

Brandon Murry is an open-source software advocate. He is working to bring open-source tools and methods into the computer science classroom. One day, he hopes to see the same open-source collaboration methods applied to the curriculum for every academic subject.

Open P-TECH, IBM

Darren Smith is the Business Development Manager for Open P-TECH, IBM’s free digital skills platform.  Prior to joining IBM’s corporate social responsibility department, Darren spent almost ten years leading business development and marketing for a STEM-focused outdoor education program outside Austin Texas.  A recent graduate of the University of Texas McComb’s School of Business Master of Science in Technology Commercialization, Darren is committed to providing opportunities for all learners to gain invaluable skills needed to commit in today’s new world of work.  Darren resides outside Austin with his wife and three wonderful children.

CEISMC, Georgia Tech

Danyelle Larkin is an Educational Outreach Manager I at the Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics, and Computing (CEISMC) at Georgia Tech. She has run hundreds of outreach events for K-12 students and teachers and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in education.

LEGO Education

Kelly Reddin is currently a Solutions Architect with LEGO Education, creating solution and implementation plans and facilitating workshops for processes and products from preschool through college. She presents keynote speeches, joins panel discussions on education, and works on special projects. Prior to joining LEGO Education, she taught elementary and middle school as well as college courses.

LEGO Education

Sonya Glasper Burden joined LEGO Education with 18+ years of educational technology and media sales experience. She returned to her first love, educational technology, with senior roles at Tom Snyder Productions/Scholastic and SMART Technologies. Sonya grew up in a family of educators–her mother is a retired district Title 1 administrator and her aunt and uncle are retired school principals in Virginia (the list goes on from there). Her role at LEGO Education truly brings her passions and expertise together; where she helps districts articulate and implement their vision for hands-on STEM/STEAM, Early Childhood, and Robotics instruction.

Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI)

Dr. Elizabeth Whitaker is a Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) Principal Research Engineer and GTRI Fellow. Her research focuses are Artificial Intelligence, Cognitive Systems, Intelligent Agents, Case-based Reasoning, Learning and Planning, Socio-cultural and Behavioral modeling, Agent-based and Hybrid Models, and Intelligent Tutoring Systems.

She has spent sixteen years as a Principal Research Engineer in the Information and Communications Lab at GTRI, preceded by eight years of research and development in intelligent systems at NCR’s Human Interface Technology Center. Her research has focused on Department of Defense, Intelligence Community, and Commercial research and development.

She is currently working on a new approach which uses natural language processing techniques to automatically extract component connections from a system’s technical document in order to reason about their connections and security vulnerabilities.

Dr. Whitaker’s Ph.D. is from the University of South Carolina in Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) with a focus in Artificial intelligence and Intelligent Tutoring Systems.

Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI)

I work with multi-disciplinary researchers to improve STEM education through educational outreach, curriculum development, and the design and evaluation of new programs and tools in teacher and student support. As a primary responsibility, I manage the Direct-to-Discovery program, a state-funded initiative to connect STEM researchers and professionals with K12 classrooms across the state.

I also support the development of professional development programs, evaluate program effectiveness, and work to create new partnerships and explore funding opportunities.

LEGO Education

As the Adoption Lead for the US, Leanna helps provide thought leadership and strategic solutions for professional learning to support educators in bringing hands-on playful learning to their classrooms. She is a former elementary teacher, district technology specialist, and adjunct professor at Georgetown College in KY. As an advocate for STEM and computer science for all, she supports classroom teachers and students in areas such as robotics and creative computing and helps organize Scratch Educator meetups in her area.

Saving Our Sons and Sisters International

Chuck Barlow Jr is currently the Executive Director of SOSSI- Saving Our Sons & Sisters International. He serves on several NIST NICE Workgroups and on the advisory boards for UN RCE GA (United Nations Regional Centre of Expertise) at Georgia Tech- Serve, Learn & Sustain Center and the CS4GA (Computer Science for Georgia) at GaDOE (Georgia Department of Education). SOSSI and their COMPASS partners support all communities to engage students, families, schools, community partners, and employers in Computational Thinking, CS (Computer Science), STEM + Arts/Design, UN 17 SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals), and most recently Computational Sustainability (CS).

Erich Thomas is a teacher, social entrepreneur, Cofounder Pharaoh’s Conclave, and Executive Director of PCX GO! Pharaohs Conclave prepares K-12 and Collegiate youth for careers in the eSports, Video Game, and Digital Entertainment industries and ecosystems. This is accomplished through an online learning and skills-building platform, eSports League, and Apprenticeship program. By taking the best practices from Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and marrying them to our high-quality curricula built on project-based inquiry learning, Pharaohs Conclave has effectively built a cradle-to-career pipeline that will take a student at any level from amateur to professional in a variety of CS and STEM/STEAM-based careers.

CEISMC, Georgia Tech

Sabrina Grossman is a former high school biology teacher turned coder and curriculum designer aiming to use her classroom experience to create problem-based STEAM activities that challenge students’ critical thinking. She serves as a Program Director in Science Education at CEISMC/Georgia Tech managing STEAM projects and innovating on the use of EarSketch in the classroom

Fulton County Schools | Atlanta, Ga.

Nicole Ford serves as the STEM Program Specialist for Fulton County Schools. As the STEM Coordinator for Feldwood Elementary School, Mrs. Ford initiated and grew the program exponentially. Some of the programs she implemented include school gardens and student-led programming such as STEM Ambassadors, STEM Ambassador Alumni Network, and Roots & Shoots, which have now been duplicated in many South Fulton schools today. As a result of her work, she received the Teach On Project Award for Excellence in Education. She established the South Learning Community STEM Council to connect and support the STEM teachers in the district. As a program specialist, she provides professional development for teachers and instructional support leaders in STEM pedagogy.

Millburn Township Public Schools

Dan has a Bachelor’s in Elementary Education from Lebanon Valley College and a Master’s in Instructional Technology from Arcadia University. He has worked in PA and NJ in elementary and middle school as classroom teacher, technology special area teacher, and a technology coach for over 15 years. He is a Google Certified Trainer and a Tynker Distinguished Educator, among other educational technology ambassadorships.

Atlanta Public Schools

Derryll Johnson is a CTAE Graphic Design Teacher in Atlanta Public Schools. Since 2019, Derryll has served on the Smithsonian Shell STEM Education Summit. Mr Johnson has a background in instructional design and was a part of the curriculum development team (Social Studies) for Shelby County Schools in Memphis, Tennessee. He was key in assisting our team to identify ways to support all teachers with some level of computational thinking credentials and professional development to support students in the areas of social studies. Since joining CTAE in Atlanta Public Schools, Derryll has been able to work with students in graphic design who could not draw, but after he was able to connect with students, teach them fundamentals and how to use the tools, and students have demonstrated the ability to draw using software, complete real-world projects and are excited about school, work, and entrepreneurial ​opportunities being presented. This year he took North Atlana High school Graphic Design Pathway through National Industry Certification and has now received their accreditation into Graphic Design & Graphic Communications thru PrintED, all during the pandemic.

BirdBrain Technologies

Aparna is the Director of Operations at BirdBrain Technologies. Being a small business, BirdBrain keeps Aparna busy doing a little bit of everything, but her favorite role is managing the Finch Robot loan program. Before BirdBrain Aparna worked at McKinsey & Company, Google, and several startup companies. Aparna holds a Ph.D. from Stanford University.

CEISMC, Georgia Tech

Chalece DeLaCoudray is a creative and growth-oriented Music Technologist leveraging her experiences as an Audio Engineer, Musician, and Technologist to create accessible and engaging educational opportunities in STEAM for K-12 students. She is an Innovator-in-Residence and STEAM curriculum designer at CEISMC/Georgia Tech using her experiences to inspire students for a career in computer science and music technology.

Aldine Independent School District | Houston, TX

Shaina Glass is currently the Program Director of Technology Applications & STEM in Aldine Independent School District. She is also a conference presenter, a CS policy advocator, and serves as an educational consultant for schools in the Houston area, and across the country. Shaina holds a Master’s degree from Sam Houston State University in the field of Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Instructional Technology. She is a graduate from Morgan State University, receiving a B.A. in Fine Arts. She is also the Code.org Regional Program Manager as well as a Computer Science Fundamentals Affiliate. She currently is a CSTA Equity Fellow, the President of CSTA Greater Houston and holds multiple certifications, including Raspberry Pi Certified Educator, BrainPOP Certified Educator and Professional Development (PD) Advisor, RemindCE, ClassDojo Mentor, and Discovery Education Network STAR and Ambassador.

IBM

Christa Camp is a part of the Business Development Team for SkillsBuild at IBM CSR, and leads the K-12 adoption strategy in North America. Former educator, she previously taught 8th grade U.S. History for three years. Since then, she’s worked for public school systems and education nonprofit organizations before finishing her MBA degree and joining the IBM CSR team.

State of South Carolina

Dominick Sanders is currently the Computer Science State Supervisor for the state of South Carolina. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to share with the cs community. Dominick is currently a doctoral student at Vanderbilt University studying educational leadership and public policy. He holds a Masters degree from Relay Graduate School for Education and a B.S. in Computer Science from Jackson State University. He is also currently a CSTA Equity Fellow.

City and Country School | New York, NY

Saber Khan (he/they) is a Bengali-American educator based in New York City. He is a veteran K12 educator with over 15 years of experience teaching math, science, and computer science in public and private middle and high schools. Currently, he teaches multiple introductory and advanced computer science classes in creative coding and web development. And he organizes events and spaces for educators to engage with code, ethics, and equity. He loves email.

BootUp PD

I am a multiplicity. At BootUp PD, I am the Director of Education & Research, where I create 100% free elementary coding curricula and oversee district-wide professional development. Visit JaredOLeary.com to view my latest podcasts, presentations, publications, and free resources.

UTeach Computer Science

As the Recruitment and Partnership Specialist for UTeach Computer Science, Marie Girardot leads recruitment initiatives, supports communications and marketing efforts, and provides individual guidance to educators seeking high-quality computer science curriculum, professional development, and ongoing support. Marie previously led the outreach efforts for the Engineer Your World program developed by UTeach Engineering, which provides high school engineering curriculum and professional development to educators nationwide.

UTeach Computer Science

As the Teacher Support Specialist for UTeach Computer Science, Jason Slabodsky facilitates professional learning for hundreds of high school computer science teachers. Jason has 15 years of teaching experience, including 8 years with the New York City Department of Education. In addition to teaching AP Computer Science Principles, he has taught integrated CS lessons for math classes and classes for students with special needs. Jason has built extensive expertise in student-centered pedagogies.

Georgia Department of Education

Nicholas L. Handville has worked in education for over twenty years with experience in both the public and nonprofit sectors. He worked as a middle school teacher and pre-college program coordinator in Miami before becoming an applied researcher at New York University, where he contributed to multiple projects focused on education equity and the systemic reform of schools and districts. He joined the Georgia Department of Education in 2014 and worked previously in the ESSA-required school and district comprehensive needs assessment and the College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI). He is currently the Director of Data Collections, Analysis, and Reporting and leads the team responsible for the Department’s state and federally-required data collection and reporting.

Forsyth County Schools | Atlanta, Ga.

Tim is the Director of Technology Services for Forsyth County Schools. He has a lengthy history in K-12 education, holding leadership positions as a principal, assistant principal, teacher, CTAE Director, school resource officer, and Chief Technology and Information Officer. Tim served his country honorably in the United States Marine Corps. He has three children and has just welcomed his first grandson.

Sonny Rodriguez is a Special Education and Gen Ed Teacher certified in grades K-5. Sonny has been a key leader at PS 86 ensuring that her colleagues understand that CS/CT is for everyone. Sonny’s interests include K-5 Computer Science, Computational Thinking, culturally responsive teaching and is involved in CS/CT teacher development and coaching.

PS 86

Magnolia Tavarez is a kindergarten teacher at PS 86 and works with pride and joy as she gets to do what she loves most which is to TEACH all students. Magnolia has been in the field of education for 19 years. She earned her Bachelors and Masters in Teaching in Elementary Education after spending, 3 years as a parent volunteer, three years as a school aid, and three years as a paraprofessional.

PS 86

Jazmin González-Pacheco, Maestra Bilingüe en P.S.86. Jazmin has been teaching for six years in bilingual classrooms. While working at PS 86 she has gained experience with students in both upper and lower elementary grades. She joined the CS/CT pilot to ensure that all of her students get access to learning CS/CT to prepare them to be active contributors to technology in their future. Serving bilingual students is her passion!

Hope for Youth Inc.

Kristina Newton  is a computer engineer by training and Founder and CEO of Hope for Youth (HYPE). Hope for Youth, Inc. is a non-profit offering with a mission to impact the world through providing STEM education (specifically in the area of computing), mentorship, and international exposure opportunities for girls historically underrepresented in tech who exist on the margins of our technical societies and careers. Successful and award-winning Social Impact Entrepreneur. https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristinamoniquesmith/

WrightNowSolutions

Valarie Mackey is a 20+ year technology professional and President and CEO of WrightNowSolutions. WNS focuses on 1) serving as an adviser to Corporations on upskilling employees to become successful 21st Century Digital Business Leaders, 2) devising talent strategies for organizations including breakthrough methods to drive innovation such Crowdsourcing solutions, leveraging Start Ups, Aquihires, and other non-traditional talent sources driving innovation, increased revenue, and business growth and 3) creating and executing technology, business, and financial literacy programs preparing underserved youth, military, and people returning to the workforce for successful careers in Corporate America or Entrepreneurship

American Institutes for Research (AIR)

Verna Lalbeharie serves as the lead for AIR’s Digital and Personalized Learning group, providing strategic leadership for AIR’s support to states and districts considering or implementing personalized learning for students and personalized professional development for educators. She develops and consults on digital delivery system design and implementation processes to meet the instructional needs of students and professional development needs of teachers. Prior to joining AIR, Ms. Lalbeharie served as the State Director of Digital Teaching and Learning at the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.

American Institutes for Research (AIR)

Catherine Jacques is a senior researcher at the American Institutes for Research (AIR). Her work focuses on systems and supports for educator effectiveness and development and for college- and career-readiness. Catherine led the development of the Teacher Leadership in CS (TLCS) micro-credentials for CS for All Teachers.

York Public Schools County | Yorktown, Va.

Theresa Goltermann is a passionate, innovative STEM educator who represented Hampton Roads as the 2018 Region 2 Virginia Teacher of the Year and the Air Force as their 2014 Virginia State Teacher of the Year. In addition to teaching CS, she writes curriculum and develops instructional and strategic documents for STEM and virtual learning programs. Theresa participated in the Teacher Leadership in CS (TLCS) micro-credentials pilot with CS for All Teachers.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

David Lockett is a former middle school STEM and computer science teacher at Bok Academy in Lake Wales, Florida. He is currently serving as an Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the Office of STEM Engagement. David participated in the Teacher Leadership in CS (TLCS) micro-credentials pilot with CS for All Teachers.

CodeHS

Anayo Ordu is a Customer Success Manager at CodeHS. In her day-to-day, she supports teachers and administrators in successful implementation of the CodeHS platform. She is a former classroom teacher, who is passionate about innovation in technology and how it can be used to improve society.

Cleveland State University

Crystal is the Director for CSforALL CLE and the Cleveland Tech Talent Pipeline (CLE TTP), projects focused on providing training, workshops and summer camp opportunities for teachers and students interested in learning computer science. Through collaborations with IT leaders and organizations, she plans and implements opportunities that increase access to CS and promotes equity to underserved populations.

Warner Girls Leadership Academy, CMSD

Carla has been a teacher 22 years in urban schools. She has purposely chosen to teach students who are living in impoverished areas because of the need and to make a difference. She is a 4th and 5th grade science teacher at Warner Girls Leadership Academy in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. She utilizes the STEM framework in her instruction. What makes this opportunity so great is that she is a science teacher at an African American all-girls school. She has a passion for bringing computer science to African American girls at the elementary and middle school level from underrepresented areas.

Cleveland State University

Dr. Debbie Jackson is a professor and Chair of Teacher Education in the College of Education and Human Services at Cleveland State University. Dr. Jackson is PI and CoPI on several grants related to STEM education, teacher preparation, project-based instruction and computer science education.

CEISMC, Georgia Tech

Dr. Roxanne Moore is a senior research engineer at the Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics, and Computing (CEISMC) and the School of Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Tech, where she teaches sophomore-level mechanical design. She is passionate about diversity in STEM and has worked with the EarSketch project since 2015.

Texas Instruments

Beth Smith is an Educational Technology Consultant with Texas Instruments. She strives to empower teachers and inspire students to succeed in mathematics, science, coding and STEM. Beth works with teachers, schools, districts, states, colleges and Universities to improve teaching and learning. Prior to joining Texas Instruments as an ETC, Beth taught middle and high school mathematics for 25 years Jacksonville, Florida. Additionally, Beth has served as a math tutor and as a Systemic Coach and T3 National Instructor for Texas Instruments.

Chanda Jefferson (Columbia, South Carolina) is a 9th-12th grade Biology teacher at Fairfield Central High School in Winnsboro, South Carolina. She taught in the public schools of SC for ten years where she was also selected as the 2020 South Carolina Teacher of the Year. Ms. Jefferson attended the University of South Carolina where she earned her BS in Biological Sciences and MT in Secondary Sciences. She also earned an Ed. M. in Public School Building Leadership at Columbia University. In 2018, Ms. Jefferson worked with the National Institute of Health and National Human Genome Research Institute as a network partner for a special 15th Anniversary of DNA Day Celebration; contributing expertise in reviewing and curating genomics educational resources for other educators and students leading to the Governor of South Carolina issuing an official proclamation for DNA Day in South Carolina.

Rachel teaches Environmental Science, Honors and Advanced Placement Chemistry, and Science for intermediate English Learners at Omaha Northwest Magnet High School in Omaha, Nebraska. She has taught for seven years, six of which has been spent at Omaha Northwest Magnet and one year as the sophomore and Advanced Placement Chemistry teacher and Anatomy and Physiology teacher at Mount Michael Benedictine School in Elkhorn, Nebraska. Miss Benzoni earned her B.S. in Chemistry from Creighton University, her M.S. in Secondary Education from the University of Nebraska-Omaha, her English as a Second Language (ESL) endorsement from Concordia University, her M.Ed. in Teaching and Learning from Midland University, and is currently enrolled as an Ed.D. doctoral student in the Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Code.org

Dr. Sabine Thomas is a Naturopathic Physician and an Infant and Early childhood mental health practitioner. With degrees from Mount Holyoke College, Bastyr University and a tenure from ADA Developers Academy, she blends her skills in user experience, community engagement and socio-emotional learning to support parent engagement and teacher recruitment around Computer Science Education in the Northwest region.

Code.org

As a part of the Outreach team, LeoLin manages strategic partnerships and outreach in 7 states in the South. She is passionate about the importance of STEAM subjects in closing the equity and wage gaps in historically marginalized groups. LeoLin graduated from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign with a degree in Psychology.

Georgia Tech

Cedric Stallworth has been an administrator of educational programs at Georgia Tech for the past twenty years. He presently serves as Assistant Dean in the College of Computing for Outreach, Enrollment and Community. In this role, he addresses the national shortage of computing talent by creating a sustainable pipeline of talented students that extends from elementary school to Georgia Tech Alumni. Since becoming Assistant Dean in 2006, Cedric has held the positions of Lecturer, Research Scientist and Instructor. He has received several awards as a teacher and his students hold him in the highest regard for his passion, caring nature and engaging and entertaining lectures . Having received his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree from Georgia Tech, Cedric’s commitment to Georgia Tech and its students is indisputable. He is dedicated to motivating the creativity of students by exposing them to numerous opportunities and possibilities that computing provides.

Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI)

Tyler Kinner is a Research Scientist II at GTRI focused on K12 STEM education and workforce development. As the STEM Curriculum Development Lead for STEM@GTRI, he supports the creation and implementation of GTRI/GT-inspired learning experiences for K12 students, including teacher professional learning and live interactions with researchers. Tyler has previous K12 experience as an instructional coach and teacher.

Tynker Coding for Schools

Leandra McGriff is an Education Support Specialist at Tynker. She has a background in Computer Science and has been a teacher for the past 6 years. She has taught for Dothan City Schools (Alabama) and has taught internationally. She loves teaching kids how to bring their imagination to life through coding.

Academies of Creative Education

PK is a disruptor who has spent part of his career in industry, post-secondary research, and secondary education. He is currently a STEM Content Specialist and Instructional Designer at the Academies of Creative Education in Forsyth County. He is also the Director of Gaming in Forsyth county. This Director of Gaming role has given him the opportunity to build capacity at the district and school level for Gaming and Esports.