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Patricia Duncan is the Education Director at Vooks, Inc. Patricia Duncan has experience as a classroom teacher and expertise in reading and curriculum development as well as teacher training. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English and mathematics and master’s degrees in Education, English, Special Education and an MBA and is completing her dissertation in Education with an emphasis in reading. She has worked with major publishing companies and universities engaging teachers, students, and families in learning and loving to read.

Erik Thiessen is the Director of Undergraduate Studies and Associate Professor of Psychology at Carnegie Mellon University. Dr. Thiessen specializes in cognitive, developmental and educational psychology. His research explores learning in infancy, childhood, and adolescence, particularly as it relates to language and reading. Thiessen holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Stanford University and a Ph.D. in developmental psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Elizabeth Emerson is the vice president of public affairs at Goff Public, a communications agency. Emerson holds nearly twenty years of experience in public policy, political communications, advocacy and lobbying for clients in nearly every industry sector. She has experience in helping organizations navigate complex national, state and local government processes to advance policy or acquire funding. Emerson holds a bachelor’s degree in Spanish from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, and a master’s degree in public policy from the Humphrey School at the University of Minnesota.

Molly Scott is the Assistant Director of Special Education at Newman International Academy. Prior to this, Scott served nearly a decade as educator and team lead at an independent school district. In addition to her classroom experience, Scott has experience as a personal nutritionist. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor and holds a certification in nutrition from the Nutritional Therapy Association.

Carl Skipper serves both the Department of Statistics & Data Science and the Dietrich College Dean’s Office in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at Carnegie Mellon University as the Assistant Director of Research Infrastructure Services.  He works with teams across the university to improve research processes, workflows, and collaboration. He brings twenty years of experience in non-profit organizations, improving organizational alignment, increasing efficiency, and developing meaningful policy. Carl holds a bachelor’s degree in information systems from Carnegie Mellon University, and serves as the Board Chairperson at the Shady Lane School.

Anthony Tomasic is the CEO of Fort Alto Inc., a startup platform company focused on design and implementation of Application Manufacturing systems. He is also a strategic advisor for Pajama Cats Media, offering innovative digital educational experiences for children. Tomasic has worked with Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) for over twenty years and is currently a consultant for the Robotics Institute. He holds a Ph.D. in computer science from Princeton University and a masters of business administration from CMU’s Tepper School of Business.

Annie Winston is an award-winning children’s author, winning the Moonbeam Silver Medal for juvenile youth fiction. Winston regularly speaks to elementary students about her experiences as an author to inspire their love for reading and writing. In 2018, she founded a nonprofit aimed at creating passionate young readers and writers. Winston holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of California, Berkeley.

Liz Seip is an experienced UX researcher and designer focused on leveraging her talents to improve people’s daily lives. Seip brings more than twenty years of experience in graphic design and user interface design, assisting clients and industries across the globe. She holds a bachelor’s degree in graphic design with minors in business and computer science from West Virginia Wesleyan College and holds a human-centered design instructor certification from the LUMA Institute.

Ajna Rivera is an Associate Professor at the University of the Pacific (California). She holds over ten years of experience in teaching scientific literacy and critical thinking in the context of biology, seeking to make biology courses more conceptual and inclusive. Rivera is also an experienced researcher, running national and international collaborative projects. She also runs field trips and hosts a YouTube channel for students, furthering their interest in science. Rivera holds a bachelor’s degree in biology/biological sciences from Stanford University and a Ph.D. in cell/cellular and molecular biology from the University of California, Berkeley.