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Featured Speakers
Kevin Dehmer
Kevin Dehmer (DAY-mer), Acting Commissioner for the New Jersey Department of Education, has brought to the position a long working history in New Jersey public education.Prior to becoming Acting Commissioner, Mr. Dehmer served as Executive Director and Senior Researcher at the Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University. The Heldrich Center is a nationally renowned research organization that uses cutting-edge approaches and analysis that focuses on improving all aspects of the nation’s education, training, and workforce programs and policies. A key component of this research is determining strategies to improve the preschool-12 public education system and learning more about how educators and policymakers can advance career opportunities, equity, and long-term success of students.
Acting Commissioner Dehmer also spent more than 15 years in public service with the New Jersey Department of Education, directing numerous offices and twice serving as Interim Commissioner. Most recently, Acting Commissioner Dehmer was the Assistant Commissioner of Finance and Chief Financial Officer at the Department where he oversaw all aspects of public-school funding in New Jersey, including allocating more than $11 billion in state aid annually and over $1 billion in federal grants.
Michael Geraghty
Michael Geraghty is the State of New Jersey’s Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) and Director of the NJ Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Cell (NJCCIC). In these roles Director Geraghty is responsible for the development and execution of the State’s cybersecurity strategy. He is responsible for leading and coordinating New Jersey’s cybersecurity efforts while building resiliency throughout the State and has direct responsibility for all aspects of statewide cybersecurity operations; governance, risk and compliance; and incident response.
Director Geraghty is an accomplished cybersecurity executive with a history of building innovative and model programs in private and public sector enterprises including roles as CISO of the Hudson’s Bay Company, Chief Information Officer of the National and International Centers for Missing and Exploited Children, Vice President of High Technology Investigations at Prudential Financial, and Network Intrusion Detection Manager, Lucent Technologies/Bell Labs. Geraghty began his career with the New Jersey State Police, where he served 12 years and led the formation and development of its High Technology Crimes Investigations Unit.
Natasha Singer
Natasha Singer is a technology reporter at The New York Times where she writes about the the far-reaching ways that tech companies and their tools are reshaping public schools, high education and job opportunities. She is currently writing a book, called "Coding Kids," on the growth of computer science in U.S. public schools.
Natasha was recently a Knight Science Journalism Fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In the summers, she teaches a course on tech accountability journalism for high school students attending The School of The New York Times, the newspaper's pre-college program. In 2018, she was a member of a Times reporting team that won a George Polk Award and was a finalist for a Pulitzer Prize in national reporting for coverage of online consumer tracking and privacy. Her earlier reporting on student tracking helped prompt California to enact the Student Online Personal Information Protection Act of 2014, a landmark law that limits the use of student data by school vendors.
NJ Department of Education Presenters
Gilbert Gonzalez
As the Director of the Office of Innovation at the New Jersey Department of Education, Gilbert E. Gonzalez is responsible for leading the implementation of the New Jersey Student Learning Standards in STEM, computer science, and educational technology, as well as spearheading the agency’s work related to New Jersey’s artificial intelligence “moonshot” initiative.
Sharon Fleming
As Technical Projects Coordinator for the Office of Innovation at the New Jersey Department of Education, Sharon Fleming is responsible for working closely with specialists in Computer Science, Educational Technology, STEM/Engineering and Artificial Intelligence. She has been assisting in state-wide integration of AI in K-12 education through Governor Murphy’s “moonshot” initiative in addition to overseeing a new $750,000 AI Innovation in Education discretionary grant.
Chris Cox
Chris Cox is currently serving as the Educational Technology Innovation Specialist for the Office of Innovation, with almost 30 years of educational experience. Known locally for supporting Educational Technology, Computer Science (8.1), and the Design Thinking Standards (8.2), he is also recognized nationally by the State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA) for his work on New Jersey's “Leading and Learning in the Digital Age” team.
Rebekah Collipp
Rebekah Collipp, Computer Science Innovation Specialist is the newest addition to the Office of Innovation at the New Jersey Department of Education. As a lifelong learner and teacher who has taught a wide variety of subjects in public, charter, independent, and online schools, for middle and high school students, for the past 15 years, she looks for every opportunity she can to support computer science education.
Session Presenters
David Amiel
David Amiel is a research associate at the Center for Effective School Practices at Rutgers University. There, he works directly with K-12 educators in CS and related disciplines on the co-creation, refinement, and implementation of high-quality and inclusive learning experiences.
Hanan Attiyah
Hanan Attiyah is a Coding and Robotics Teacher at Flemington-Raritan Regional School District. She holds a Master’s in Instructional Technology and is a PAEMST 2024 NJ Finalist and CIA Mission Possible $60K Grand Prize winner, with a strong focus on advancing student engagement in computer science.
Chris Aviles
Chris Aviles, founder of Garden State Esports, brings 17 years of teaching experience to his mission of transforming esports into a powerful learning tool. Through esports he is inspiring student interest in computer science, foster social-emotional growth, and prepare them for future careers.
Dr. DaQuan K Bashir
Dr. Bashir is the Research & Innovation Project Manager at CSTA. His research consists of topics and actions focused on the increase, improve, and enhance actions concerning diversity, equity, identity, and inclusion in computing education.
Rich Bell
This is my 22nd year teaching, with most of that time revolving around CS. I started an esports program at my HS, and expanded into the two middle schools with coaches at each. We field teams each season, and have expanded beyond playing to reach our graphic designers and shoutcasters.
Dr. Cynthia Blitz
Dr. Cynthia Blitz, is the executive director of the Center for Effective School Practices and a research professor at the Graduate School of Education at Rutgers University. Her research in CS Education centers on meaningful partnerships and the effective use of research and data to improve outcomes for all learners.
Paige Besthoff
Paige has taught K-12 computers for 25 years and designed her district’s K-5 CS curriculum based on CSTA standards. She facilitates workshops for the TCNJ Central NJ CS Education Hub and presents at CSTA, ISTE, and other CS and conferences. Paige is a CSTA 2023 CS Teaching Excellence Award Winner.
Daryl Detrick
Daryl teaches Computer Science and Cybersecurity at Warren Hills High School. He helped start CSTANJ, CS4NJ and Garden State Cyber. He was the 2023 Warren County Teacher of the Year and NJ State Finalist.
Mandy Galante
Mandy is a cybersecurity education advocate working to open cyber career pathways for high school students.She co-founded Garden State Cyber, providing a free curriculum for teachers and students with no technical background.Cyber.org adopted it to help students nationwide gain cybersecurity skills.
Jess Hexsel
Jess Hexsel, Curriculum Development Specialist for CYBER.ORG, is an Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship alumna and former high school math and computer science teacher. Jess enthusiastically brings her passion for teaching technology and supporting teachers to the CYBER.ORG team.
Nicole Iannucci
Nicole Iannucci has dedicated her 18+ year career to education. Starting off as a classroom teacher, she now serves as a Director of K-12 Services at College Board, partnering with schools to leverage college readiness programs and data to support student achievement and success.
Benjamin Isecke
Ben Isecke has taught computer science since 2010, is the former president of CSTANJ, and has developed a full computer science Praxis preparatory course for teachers looking to pass the test. He currently teaches at the Bergen County Academies.
Abby Lahr
Abby teaches in Southern Jersey at the high school she graduated from. After teaching math for a year, she transitioned to being a full time computer science teacher (& is obsessed). Abby now teaches Intro to Programing, AP CSP, and Cybersecurity. She is also a member of Garden State Cyber.
Khye Borg Liew
As a CS educator, Khye's work centers around mitigating educational inequities through the lens of Computer Science. He strives to maneuver education theories such as culturally relevant and student-centered pedagogy, and asset-based approach to make a significant impact in his students' lives.
Christine Rehwinkel
Former AT&T and startup professional turned educator, teaching mathematics, computer science, and cybersecurity at Marlboro High School. AP Computer Science reader with degrees in Electrical Engineering (BS/MS). Currently enrolled in Cybersecurity MS program at Georgia Tech.
Jeffrey C. Riley
Jeffrey C. Riley serves as the Senior Advisor for Day of AI, a non profit organization that recently spun out of MIT. Prior to this role Mr. Riley worked for over 30 years in public education as a teacher, counselor, assistant principal, principal, superintendent and state commissioner.
Lora Santucci
Lora Santucci received a degree in Mathematics from Rutgers in 1993 and has taught numerous Math and Computer Science courses since 1998, most recently adding Data Science to the list. She believes computational thinking and data analysis skills are essential for students at all grade levels.
Dr. Fran Trees
Fran Trees is a Teaching Professor in the Computer Science Department at Rutgers. She also works closely with Rutgers CESP preparing teachers to successfully implement CS courses into their curricula. Her research interests are in CS Education, focusing on broadening participation and incorporating active learning in the CS classroom.
Karen A. Wester
Karen A. Wester (MA in Educational Technology, ASLMS) has been teaching (24 years) computer science/educational technology/library media at Franklin Township School in Warren County. Wester is actively engaged in the CSTANJ community representing K-8 on the Steering Committee and developing PD.
Matt Zaro
Matt Zarro is a Senior Director with the Northeast Team at College Board. Matt works with BOCES, school districts and associations across New York State to increase access to College Board programs and services, including Advanced Placement and the SAT Suite of Assessments.
CS Coastal Hub
Phil Polsinelli, Dr. Barbara Hagerty, & Michelle Wendt of the CS Coastal Hub at Stockton University.
Morgan Brenner
My high school offered 3 CS classes, all Java. I went to Stevens because my teacher said you can make good money. I was told that if your first job isn't 70% coding, you've wasted your degree. I've since been a WebDev, a SWE, a Data Scientist, and now a Solutions Engineer at Google.
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