At 17 years old, Shree triumphed over 10,000 competitors to become the Grand Prize Winner of the first-ever Google Global Science Fair in 2011. She presented her winning work to President Obama and directors of the National Institutes of Health, as well as students around the world. Through these experiences, Shree also became a passionate advocate for better STEM education. She is co-founder and co-CEO of Piper Learning, Inc., a San Francisco-based company creating educational toys for kids. She graduated from Harvard in 2016 and completed her MD/PhD from Duke University in May 2023. She was named one of this year's Forbes 30 Under 30 in Science for her Ph.D. research on understanding metabolic changes in ovarian cancer metastasis and her continuing work to create innovative STEM experiences for kids around the world.
Maria Alcaraz is an Intervention and Prevention Support Coordinator at Lucille Roybal-Allard Elementary School. She is a National Board Certified Teacher in Early and Middle Childhood Literacy-Language Arts. She has been teaching for 21 years and has taught Kindergarten-6th grade. Maria was named one of LAUSD Teacher of the Year 2019.
Beth Billett is currently serving as the Professional Development Coordinator for Personalized Learning Systems (PLS) in the Los Angeles Unified School District. After a 20-year teaching career spanning from preschool to middle school math and across two continents, Beth has been organizing and providing instructional technology related professional development to L. A. Unified educators for over a decade. Beth’s extensive experience with instructional technology informs her practice in the design and delivery of professional development that support the district's goals for personalized learning and student achievement.
Dr. Sharisa Chan is a Digital Learning and Computer Science Education Project Specialist for the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools. She is a computer science advocate, equity warrior, and a veteran k-12 educator. While serving in various roles in within the educational organization, Sharisa has been able to make connections with staff and students via classroom and professional learning experiences, especially in the domains of student engagement, personalized learning, digital citizenship, STEAM integration, computer science, as well as the use and leverage of digital technology to improve student learning outcomes through personalized and equitable classroom pedagogies. She has become a campaigner for equity and student agency while working as a leader, practitioner, and support staff who has been able to effectively implement strategies that meet each scholar’s individual needs.
Dr. Simone Charles is a high school principal in Los Angeles who has enthusiastically undertaken the responsibility of being the ACSA Region 16 State Member Representative on the Equity Committee and serves as the ACSA Region 16 Cultural Proficiency Director. Working on educational committees and championing students is illustrative of the core beliefs and values that she holds and is part of her life’s work as an educator and an advocate for children. As one capstone of her work, she was recognized in 2022 when her peers honored her as Option Schools Principal of the Year for ACSA Region 16 for her work with students in the alternative educational setting.
The lasting impact of a solid education is paramount to Dr. Charles. Drawing on her own experiences in school as a minority female, she is familiar with the challenges many students face. Continuing her life’s work to support diverse students, Charles focuses on racial and gender inequality within Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Her goal is to expand the trajectory of females of color in STEM and enable them to pursue higher learning opportunities. As such, she acquired the status of Future Ready Certified to prepare herself for the technological changes and advancements within education and society. This certification in conjunction with her Project-Based Learning Certification and doctoral studies affords her a unique perspective.
In addition to her doctorate in Educational Leadership, Administration, and Policy, Charles holds a B.A. in Communications and an M.A. in Bilingual Multicultural Education from California State University Dominguez Hills. In 2017, Dr. Charles was honored as one of Councilman Curren Price’s SHeros for her accomplishments working with minority students and she presided over the Council of Black Administrators (COBA) as president from 2016-2018. She received recognition from the Foundation for Korean Language and Culture in the USA (2014) for her collaborative work with the Korean Community and for bringing a Korean Language Study Program to her school site. A committed educator for close to 30 years, Charles’ achievements include serving as a Spanish language bilingual and primary language classroom teacher, mentor teacher, grade-level chair, and demonstration and mentor teacher. Her dedication to students culminated early in her career when she was Hawthorne School District Teacher of the Year.
Creativity, compassion, and critical thinking are three of the values that Wen-Wen Cheng strives to support as an educator. She holds a M.Ed. in Elementary Education from UCLA and is a Google Certified Trainer, Microsoft Innovative Educator, and a Common Sense Educator. She has served LAUSD in multiple capacities, including an Elementary Teacher, Mathematics and Title III Instructional Coach, and Common Core Mathematics Expert. Wen-Wen now dedicates her time to supporting school communities as an Instructional Technology Facilitator where she enjoys exploring ways in which instructional technology can raise academic achievement.
Charlene Cooper is a National Board Certified Teacher with over 20 years of experience in public schools as a teacher and instructional coach. She has a master's degree in Educational Leadership and a Cyber Education Graduate Certificate. As a curriculum development specialist for CYBER.ORG, she creates cybersecurity content and presents at local, regional, and national conferences.
Amy DeLair is an experienced educator with over a decade of experience in public education. Amy is passionate about social emotional learning, student voice and choice, and finding effective ways to integrate technology into the classroom and larger school community. She currently lives in San Diego, CA where she has become an amateur sunset photographer.
Stephanie DeMichele helps people of all ages learn things. As a high school English teacher, a gifted + talented course developer, a technology teacher, a district technology coordinator, a regional instructional coach, and now as a member of the Edpuzzle Community Team, she's researched, tried, failed, tried again, tweaked, and evolved as a digital learner herself. She embraced digital teaching and learning with her first paperless classroom in 2008, and she loves sharing her experiences and ideas--as well as those she's observed from amazing teachers--with others. You can learn more about her by connecting on Twitter (@sdemichele) or by visiting https://linktr.ee/sdemichele1210.
My name is Mario Flores. In the last seventeen years, I taught Mathematics, Computers Science, and Game Design. Five years ago, I incorporated Unity Engine into my curriculum, and it sparked a new journey for me as an educator that has changed how I am able to prepare my students for new college and career pathways. I have become acutely aware of the importance and power of technology to transform student learning, and their lives.
Veronica Gonzalez is a fifth grade teacher at Roybal-Allard Elementary. She graduated from CSULA with her BA in Child Development. This is her 10th year in teaching. She was recognized as a Computer Science Champion at LEETS 2023. She believes all students deserve a place where they are able to communicate their ideas as they continue to become proficient and productive students who have empathy for others.
Marley supports educators across LAUSD and the country as a Senior Professional Learning Strategist at BrainPOP. Prior to joining BrainPOP, Marley taught elementary ELLs for seven years in the NYC Department of Education and supported pre- and in-service teachers as an adjunct lecturer at Hunter College.
Jerry Jones (Senior Account Director) has spent 25 years in education-- eight years as an elementary teacher in two districts, two years as a middle school AP and 15 years as an elementary school principal at two different schools (2020 ACSA Elementary Principal of the Year for San Diego and Imperial Counties).
Mia Leonard taught Kindergarten in the Chicago Public Schools for 10 years. Mia is a Google Certified Innovator, PBS Digital Innovator, and Seesaw Certified Educator. In the classroom, Mia explored innovative methods to transform teaching and learning and empower her students daily. Mia currently works at Seesaw Learning as a Professional Development and Training Specialist. Mia is the author of Building Blocks for Tiny Techies: A Teacher's Guide to Digital Learning in Primary Classrooms. She also speaks regularly on how to amplify the voices of our littlest learners through technology at conferences and events across the country.
You can follow Mia and her class on Twitter: @mrsleonardk.
Karina Linch is the chief product officer at BrainPOP, the pioneering digital education company. A former NYC public school teacher and lead Teaching Fellow, Karina oversees the development of products that empower kids to strengthen their critical, computational, and creative thinking skills across the curriculum. Karina earned her MA in education from Lehman College and her BA from New York University. She received a Fulbright Memorial Fund Scholarship to study the school system in Japan, a National Endowment for the Humanities Grant to work with educators in Mexico and led BrainPOP to participate in the first White House Game Jam. Karina is a board member of the New York International Children’s Film Festival.
Ms. Andrea Lugo is a dedicated Los Angeles Unified educator whose mission is to empower teachers with the skills they need to integrate technology in all core content areas. Andrea believes all students deserve access to 21st-century tools and skills to become future-ready. A highly qualified educator, Andrea holds a BA in Liberal Studies, MA in Special Education for Mild-Moderate Disabilities, an Educational Specialist Instruction Teacher Credential, and was recognized as the Encino Chamber of Commerce 2018 teacher of the year. Becoming an ISTE Certified Educator has allowed Andrea to facilitate positive change at her school site and within LAUSD.
Joe caught the cyber education bug after recognizing the need for cybersecurity content in his math classroom and implemented robotics to fill the gap. Joe is currently the Director of Cybersecurity Content at CYBER.ORG.
Mary Jo Madda (@MJMadda) is the Growth & Engagement Strategy Lead for Code Next (a free, afterschool computer science edu program for Black, Latino/Hispanic, and Native high school students) on Google's Education for Social Impact team. She is also a doctoral student at the UCLA School of Education and Information Studies studying development tactics for student social capital. Previously, she was a middle school teacher in Houston and Los Angeles, a writer and director at ed-tech news company EdSurge, and a member of the Scratch team at MIT. Mary Jo has an Ed.M. from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a B.A. from Northwestern
Claudia Martinez is a 2nd grade Dual Language teacher at Lucille Roybal-Allard Elementary School. In 2019, she was selected as one of LAUSD's Teacher of the Year. She is National Board Certified in Literacy: Reading–Language Arts, Early and Middle Childhood. Claudia has been teaching for 21 years.
Dev is a UX Designer for the Esports team at Riot Games located here in LA. She is an advocate for collaboration and user empathy, with focus on product, environmental, and human-centric design.
Joyce Okoth is a Southern California Regional Manager for Microsoft TEALS Program with previous high school teaching experience in math, computer science and special education. Currently holds a Bachelors degree in math & Masters in math education from Rutgers University and pursuing her EDD in curriculum, instruction, and assessment at Westcliff University.
Lisa Park is a Senior User Experience Designer at Riot Games. Hailing from the Washington, DC area, she has a BFA in Graphic Design from VCUarts and a Masters in Human-Computer Interaction from Carnegie Mellon University. Previously at Stack Overflow and Microsoft.
I am dedicated to developing creative instruction and learning experiences to make education come alive for elementary learners. I believe that when teachers devote time and energy to insert education into a child’s imagination, it unlocks the student’s potential, and willingness to pursue it. I have 10 years of experience in elementary teaching and leading coding professional development sessions
I received a Master’s degree in Instructional Design at Brigham Young University, where he wanted to learn how to improve the learning experience for elementary children. Since then I have worked teaching elementary students, elementary teachers, and elementary education students how to code and how to integrate technology in ways that transform their classrooms.
I am married to Kristen, father to Henry and Ethan, and one more on the way. A few things I enjoy are: technology, games and game development, stories and storytelling, family time, Star Wars, music, video editing, barbershop singing, classroom design and setup, and coding.
Matt Piwowarczyk is an Instructional Technology Facilitator with the Instructional Technology Initiative (ITI) currently supporting Reseda Charter High School and Middle School. Prior to being a instructional technology coach in Los Angeles, he taught high school English and Special Education in Chicago, Baltimore, and South Korea.
Melissa Portillo is a professional development specialist within the Personalized Learning Systems (PLS) department at the Los Angeles Unified School District. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Melissa is a proud product of LAUSD schools. Her passion for education and teaching led her to become an Equitable Grading and Instruction Coach, where she worked alongside inspiring educators. Prior to that, Melissa taught science at both the middle and high school levels, where she enjoyed planning interactive and hands-on activities and sharing her love of science with her students. Melissa is committed to improving educational outcomes and providing equitable opportunities for all students.
Rohya Prudhomme has worked as an educator in the Los Angeles Unified School District for 15 years. Prior to becoming an Instructional Technology Facilitator, she served as an English teacher, Lead Teacher, and Inclusion Specialist. Rohya holds English, Social Science, and Special Education credentials and is currently working to obtain a credential in Computer Science. Rohya is passionate about equity in education and empowering educators to be the leaders of instructional technology at their school sites.
Tracy Quinn is a dynamic professional, presenter, and collaborative leader with strong communication skills. She has twelve years of customer success support, training, educational technology, and six years of teaching experience in the Los Angeles Unified School District. She is detail oriented, strategic, and focused individual who thrives on achieving positive business outcomes and is very passionate about student learning and their successes in and out of the classroom.
For the past twelve years Tracy has worked with Scholastic Inc, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt publishing companies as a presenter and trainer for the west coast region. Currently she works for Nearpod an educational technology company as a Customer Success Manager for large strategic accounts.
Yanxi Rodriguez, a graduating senior at Reseda Charter High School, has been involved in various Computer Science courses like AP Computer Science Principle and AP Computer Science A. She is a valedictorian of the the Stanford college course: Intro to Computers 105. She is part of Girls Build La club which empowers women aspiring to be in STEM-related fields.
Quim Sabria is the co-founder and CEO of Edpuzzle, a platform that empowers tens of millions of teachers to make any video of their lesson. He was previously a Math teacher in Spain before moving to California. Quim is passionate about empowering teachers using technology and making their lives easier and better. AI, if used correctly, has the potential to change teachers' lives for the better.
Ken (He/Him/His) currently holds an M.A. in Education with a specialization in Educational Technology as well as New Media Design and Production. He has worked as an Educator for over 20 years and spent most of his classroom experience teaching technology at the Middle School level. As a part of his active involvement within the Educational Technology community, Ken is an Apple Distinguished Educator, a Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert, and a Google Certified Innovator. Ken has worked extensively at the policy level with a number of State Departments of Education, Ministries of Education, non-Profits, and was appointed to the Education Technology Task Force formed by a previous California State Superintendent of Public Instruction. Ken regularly gives keynotes, presentations, consults, and leads workshops, covering a wide variety of Educational Technology, Equity and Inclusion, Anti-Bias/Anti-Racist, Multimedia Literacy, Cultural Intelligences, Visual Storytelling, and Instructional Design topics. Ken is the International Society for Technology in Education Digital Equity Professional Learning Network 2018 Excellence Award winner. Ken is the International Society for Technology in Education 2022 Making IT Happen Award winner due to his extraordinary commitment, leadership, courage, and persistence in improving digital learning opportunities for students. Because of his extensive and broad impact, Ken has also been named by EdTech Magazine as an influencer to follow. Read More at https://kennethshelton.net/about/
Dina Salama is a Southern California Regional Manager for Microsoft Philanthropies TEALS. Before coming to TEALS, Dina was a CTE Business and Computer Science teacher as well as EdTech Coordinator. She is passionate about creativity, entrepreneurship, and technology, and is currently learning game development.
Jess Sangiorgio is a District Strategy Consultant on the Professional Services team, leading high-quality implementation and training consultations for both Flocabulary and Nearpod partners in the Southwest. She has a degree from the University of Colorado Boulder in International Affairs and Elementary Education, as well as an MA in Special Education from CUNY - Hunter College. She moved to the East Coast as a Teach for America corps member and spent four years teaching at her placement school in Harlem, NY. Passionate about educational equity and the use of music in the classroom, she made a switch to the EdTech world by accepting a role at Flocabulary almost four years ago. She loves sharing innovative ways to transform teaching and learning in the classroom and works to ensure that all students can have access to an exceptional education.
Sue Thotz is the Director of Outreach for Common Sense Education and co-founder of Equity in Action CA. In 2011, Sue began working for Common Sense by providing support and training for educators and administrators on issues of digital culture and wellness. As a co-founder of Equity in Action CA, she has facilitated conferences that emphasize the importance of identity and belonging and strive to amplify marginalized voices in the education technology space. Sue is the winner of the 2023 ISTE’s Making IT Happen Award. Prior to Common Sense, Sue was a researcher and educator. Sue holds a master's degree in public health and an undergraduate degree in zoology and chemistry.
Michelle Touceda has been an educator with Los Angeles Unified School District for more than 20 years. Prior to becoming an Instructional Technology Facilitator, Michelle taught English for grades 6-12 in South Gate. In addition to being a classroom teacher, she also was a school site technology coach, the co-author of a Small Learning Community and a Public Service Magnet, and an LAUSD Teacher of the Year. Michelle is an ISTE Certified Educator, A LEGO Ambassador, a Google Certified Educator L1, L2, and Certified Trainer, a Common Sense Certified Educator and Ambassador, as well as a coach for numerous educational technology platforms. During the pandemic, she was a part of the creative team that formed the Distance Learning Educators social media presence. She currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors for CUE Los Angeles
Brandon Tory is an artist, former Staff Engineer at Google AI, former Senior Engineer at Apple and founder of FORMLESS. Brandon's story as both a signed artist and innovator in tech have led to his unique insight into the future that’s emerging at the intersections of technology, culture, and creativity. Last year, Brandon gave a keynote address at LAUSD LEETS22 conference on Learning to Code for Early Readers. He has given keynotes at Stanford University, Boston University, St. John's University, CSForAll and more, with a focus on inspiring the next generation of future leaders in technology.
Marley supports educators across LAUSD and the country as a Senior Professional Learning Strategist at BrainPOP. Prior to joining BrainPOP, Marley taught elementary ELLs for seven years in the NYC Department of Education and supported pre- and in-service teachers as an adjunct lecturer at Hunter College.
