2024 Symposium Presenters

Hal Speed is an advocate for all students learning computer science as a springboard for socioeconomic mobility and the future prosperity of nations in the epoch of intelligent machines. He is currently the Head of North America for Robotical and an advisor to nonprofits including Kid Spark Education, AI4K12, and the education working group of the tinyML Foundation. Hal was previously the Chief of Global Engagement for the Micro:bit Educational Foundation and founder of CS4TX.

Rebecca serves as the Senior Director of Programs at Technovation, and gets to build and improve programs serving girls, young women, and nonbinary youth around the world to grow future ready skills. Rebecca has worked in education in the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Japan, New York, and now globally. She holds education degrees from the University of Kansas and Teachers College Columbia University.

Ayan Kishore is an experienced social entrepreneur and technology leader. His track record includes building and growing tech companies that have helped millions worldwide learn and secure jobs, especially minorities and the disadvantaged. As CEO, Kishore is tasked with unlocking opportunities for large-scale systems change and driving innovation through technology to transform how students, jobseekers, and older adults across the globe read, learn, and work through inclusive and equitable access to information.

Renalda Mwanyuma is the Education Program Manager at Peace Corps Kenya. She manages volunteer programs that promote STEM in secondary schools and Literacy in Primary schools for the Deaf. She has training background and experience in Deaf Education and is passionate about inclusion for persons with Disabilities.

Head of Innovation and Product at ProFuturo since 2020 and previously, Education and Learning Manager at Fundação Telefônica Vivo (Brazil), where she developed and implemented various programs and projects linked to Innovation and technology. She previously worked as a consultant on education and ICT and as a university professor.

Santiago is a Ph.D. student in Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He previously earned a Master’s degree in the same program. He has experience leading large-scale implementations of learning technologies among underserved populations in Colombia. Recently, he has been involved in evaluation work related to diversity, equity, and inclusion in computer science education, research on implementation of learning technologies at a national scale, and policy planning for ICT integration in education systems.

Okango Arnold is a distinguished professional in marketing and business administration, known for his impactful contributions to the tech industry and social media landscape in Kenya.Arnold holds a Diploma in Marketing and a Degree in Business Administration from the University of the People, where he honed his skills in strategic planning, digital marketing, and business management. His educational background laid a strong foundation for a career marked by innovation and leadership.

Peggy Koenig is an Education Specialist for STEM and Literacy within Peace Corps’ Overseas Programming and Training Support (OPATS) team. Prior to this role, she served as both a classroom and resource teacher in Maryland, USA for more than 25 years, sharing her passion for hands-on learning with her students and teacher mentees.

Dr. Jimmy Lin is the Director of Computer Science Education at VEX Robotics, where he leads research and development with a specific emphasis on computer science education. He contributed to the design of Switch mode which is used to ease the transition for students from block-based to text-based programming. A lifelong programmer, Dr. Lin is deeply committed to the significance of computer programming education. His most notable contribution is the development of a taxonomy for block-based programming environments.

Carrie Meyers is the co-Director of STEM Outreach for Learning Systems Institute at Florida State University. Over two decades, Ms. Meyers has worked with K-20 students, written STEM curricula and authored two student math books. She provides professional development to teachers on workforce development, STEM integration, coding and using 3D printers. She manages the production of K-12 e-Learning tutorials and a PreK-2 math assessment system on CPALMS while also working internationally to build capacity in creating math standards.

Adrian Fenton is a Senior Consultant in the Schools team at the British Council, with a focus on STEM Education and skills, leading the international computing programme with the Micro:bit Educational Foundation. With over 20 years’ experience in science education project management, he started as a Physics teacher, worked in Tanzania with VSO, and has delivered teacher training internationally. Previously he was Head of Education with the British Science Association, and has worked on inclusive education and curriculum development.

BA brings excitement and passion to transforming ideas into accessible and engaging practices in education and public health. Through research, evaluation, digital technology, training, capacity building and technical assistance, and direct service for over 30 years she has worked with diverse individuals and communities to enhance well-being and support equity in STEM and sports, HIV/AIDS prevention, sexual and reproductive health, LGBTQIAA+ inclusivity, neurodivergent families, nutrition, physical activity, substance and tobacco use.

Leo Burd is the founder and President of the Board of the Brazilian Creative Learning Network, an organization that brings together thousands of teachers, artists, researchers, decision-makers, families, and students from all over Brazil to support and promote more creative and relevant public education for all.With a PhD in education technology from the MIT Media Lab, Leo has collaborated with groups such as Microsoft, World Bank, LEGO Foundation and the Brazilian government in the implementation of social empowerment programs worldwide.

Dr. Pinner teaches Earth & Space science. Pascale has procured grants, including a Math/Science Partnership (MSP) grant and the current NSF Discovery/Research K-12 Partnership grant developing curricula to implement hands-on NGSS-aligned lessons. Pascale serves as the President of the HSTM Executive Board and has received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science Teaching, the Hawaii State Teacher of the Year, and the Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship. Pascale publishes and presents annually.

Across four decades, I established new platforms as 𝘥𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘰 industry standards, including object-oriented application frameworks in the 1980s, Windows in the 1990s, .NET in the 2000s, and cloud computing in the 2010s―thereby adding 𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 of dollars to my employers’​ bottom lines.In the 2020s, I’m using courseware competitions inspired by the Global Learning XPrize to create a new platform for global education—the EduBRICK™ K12 Courseware Stack—one EduBRICK at a time (BRICK: Best Reusable Instructional Component for K12).

Bunmi Esho has over 20 years of professional experience as a K-16 classroom teacher, nonprofit leader in STEM education and STEM education advisor in building the capacity of systems and programs in the United States, Cambodia and most recently, Senegal. As a nonprofit advisor and STEM educator, she has worked in and with, both urban and rural settings, coaching educators and program staff, providing career advice to youth, and connecting with families and the community at large. She has a B.S. in chemical engineering and M.Ed. in education.

Theresa is an esteemed educational leader with a track record spanning more than 25. As the visionary CEO and co-founder of Afrika Tikkun Bambanani, she has made substantial contributions to the organization’s overarching mission: empowering marginalized communities through education and comprehensive social services. She has spearheaded the integration of internationally accredited curricula into 300 underprivileged Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres, improving the skills of 1500 practitioners and 25 000 children aged 2-6 years old.

Parmod Kumar, State Programme Officer in Haryana’s Directorate of Elementary Education, started as a teacher, gaining recognition from UNESCO, ADB, etc., for his innovative practices in ICT, pedagogy, and VR. Noteworthy initiatives include Joyful Saturday and MID Day Meal Mobile App. Awarded National Teacher Awards, he played a key role in implementing the Right to Education Act, collaborating with MHRD, UNESCO, and NCPCR. He received the National ICT Award-2017 for his contributions

Rebecca Vieyra supports PhET’s international strategy and programming. Previously, she managed the Inter-American Teacher Education Network for the Organization of American States, and served as K-12 Program Manager for the American Association of Physics Teachers. Rebecca is a prior high school physics teacher who earned her Ph.D. in science education at the University of Maryland. She received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching, and is an alumna of the Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship.

Gitika Gorthi is the Founder and CEO of IgnitedThinkers, a non-profit organization she founded in the 8th-grade to spread space education to all students (www.ignitedthinkers.org). Gitika is a junior at Columbia University in the College of Engineering and Applied Science as a C. Prescott Davis Scholar studying biomedical engineering with a minor in economics. Gitika is an aspiring aerospace physician, medical researcher, and astronaut.

Before working at ProFuturo she was manager of Education and Learning at the Fundação Telefônica Vivo (Brazil). She has also worked as a consultant on education and ICT and as a university professor. Psychologist with a Master of Science in Communications (University of Sao Paulo) and specialist in Distance Learning (University Carlos III Madrid). Member of the Laboratory for Research on Childhood, Imagination, and Communication (1998-2009), and of the Center for Studies and Research in Education, Culture, and Community Action (2000-2010).

Luke Stannard is the Programme Director for Can’t Wait to Learn. He worked for seven years as Senior Education Advisor at Save the Children, leading on teacher professional development. He worked as a research consultant where he wrote a systematic review of education technology use to support learning in emergencies. Whilst working as a teacher he also led action research looking at participatory approaches to curriculum development. He holds a Master’s degree from the IDS at the University of Sussex and is a qualified teacher in the UK.

Selin Turan is the Knowledge Mobilisation and Engagement Coordinator at War Child’s R&D department and is based in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Selin supports the management of the Global Partnership for Education Knowledge and Innovation Exchange (GPE KIX) global research programme, focusing on its flagship education solution Can’t Wait to Learn. Selin holds an MSc degree in Public Policy and Political Analysis. Her previous experience includes emergency response, project development and grant management roles in the development sector.

Edward Malinowski has completed an Honours degree in Computing (Informatics) at the University of South Africa.Edward currently works for Hands on Technologies, a company that provides LEGO Education solutions to sub-Saharan Africa, and is the sister company to Care for Education.Edward is studying an MSc in Computing Education at University of South Africa on Unplugged Computer Science Education. The research is focused on how schools can teach learners computational thinking, coding and robotics skills without the use of technology.

A consultant, strategist, thought partner, moderator, leveraging tech for start-ups in non-profit sector. Designed, implemented eLearning programs, tools, capacity-building initiatives. Experience with multinational, multi-disciplinary teams developing scalable, sustainable models. Led the Worldreader EA team, for 10 years. Member, Parental Empowerment and Engagement consortium, English Committee, UN SDG Book Club, African Chapter; Alumnus of the Ashoka Visionary Programme. Collective Action Lead, EdTech East Africa, Advisory Committee TeachAI.

Dr. Levesque is Head of Research at Imagine Worldwide. For more than 20 years, she has directed education research in the United States and internationally. At Imagine she leads rigorous research on the impacts of personalized edtech on FLN as well as research supporting continuous improvement of the learning software and implementation. She was a Peace Corps volunteer in Senegal. She earned her BA at Smith College, MPP at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, and PhD at the University of California-Berkeley.

Rishi has built a distinguished career that intersects deeply with education, technology, and program management. With a rich professional journey spanning close to twenty years, he has positioned himself at the forefront of educational technology, advocating for equity and sustainability within this space. His work primarily focuses on creating impactful educational content and leveraging technology to enhance learning experiences across various demographics. At Quest, Rishi spearheads the creation of blended learning content around STEM.

Sangay, Director of STEM Education (K-12th), at the Liberia Ministry of Education. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Biology, a B-Pharm degree, candidate for a D-pharm and candidate for MSc. Epidemiology. Oversee and coordinate all activities relative to STEM education, lead the implementation of comprehensive STEM Education programs, and have the mandate to hardness the relevance and quality of STEM Education in the Liberian to increase the nation’s human resources in a STEM career.

Jennifer is Head of Business Development at Imagine Worldwide. She is focused on partnering with funders, Ministries of Education and other key stakeholders to expand our work to new countries and contexts. Prior to joining Imagine, Jen consulted for leading education reform organizations following positions as Assistant Director of Research and Evaluation at The Broad Foundation and Program Director for Education Pioneers. Jen obtained her BA at Dartmouth College and Masters and Doctorate from the University of Southern California.

Dr. Hiba Rahim has nearly 20 years in monitoring and evaluation in education and brings a rigorous mixed methods lens to both prove and improve educational outcomes. She enjoys research design and making data actionable. She has particular expertise in international teacher professional development but has also led on projects ranging from Montessori education to job readiness. Hiba holds a B.Sc. from Northwestern University, an Ed.M. from Harvard University and Ed.D. from Southern Methodist University (SMU).

Phillip Butterfield has over 20 years of experience leading education programs in Central and South Asia, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East. With more than ten of these years leading programs in STEM, he has witnessed a broad variety of approaches that range from providing resources and training to schools and teacher training centers, developing teaching and learning materials that integrate critical STEAM elements, and incorporating STEAM content into teacher, school director, and school administrator trainings.

Jamie Alexandre has a Ph.D. in Cognitive Science from UC San Diego, and is co-founder and Executive Director of Learning Equality, an education technology non-profit that creates and supports open source tools to address the infrastructural and resource equity gaps that further marginalize those with limited or no Internet access. Learning Equality’s open-source offline-installable education platform, Kolibri, is used across over 220 countries and territories, in schools, orphanages, community centers, refugee camps, prisons, and homes.

Yacine Hakmi is a STEAM Education Specialist with over 6 years of experience and a Masters in Automation & Systems. He has led 19 inclusive teacher training courses and 9 projects to promote STEAM education accessibility across Algeria, supporting 14 institutions to host STEAM activities for their communities. Beyond the classroom, Yacine is involved in professional English, career planning, and civic engagement. With exceptional communication skills and a creativity, Yacine is a fashion designer in the making and also an avid scuba diver

Jazib has 15+ years of experience across technology, entrepreneurship and education. He has managed major software products for firms like Sesame Workshop, CommonSense Media and BBC. His consulting experience includes AI coursework development for Fortune 100 companies and various governments. He works on evidence in education for Edtech Hub and MIT LEAP. He has a BS Electrical Engineering from Stanford and an Ed.M. Technology, Innovation and Education from Harvard.

Tim Needles is an artist, educator, performer, and author of STEAM Power from ISTE. He’s a TEDx Talk speaker, a technology integration specialist, and teaches art, film, and emerging media at Smithtown School District. He’s been featured on NPR, New York Times, Columbus Museum of Art and Norman Rockwell Museum. He’s won numerous ISTE and NAEA awards and the Rauschenberg Power of Art Award. He’s a board member of NYSCATE & NYSATA, ISTE Community leader, NASA Solar System Ambassador, and Connected Arts Network PLC leader.