2020-21 Equity Fellows

Meet the 2020-21 CSTA Equity Fellows

Megan Bowen

Megan Bowen, a proud Mexican-American, has been an Educational Technology Specialist for ten years. She’s currently the Technology Coordinator and Integration Specialist while also teaching AP Computer Science, Digital Citizenship, Film and Video, and 3D Design at Salem Academy Charter School in Salem, Massachusetts. She also advises after school clubs like Makerspace, Robotics, and S.A.G.A (Sexuality and Gender Alliance). Megan graduated from Grand Valley State University with a B.A. in English and sociology, and an M.Ed. in educational technology. Her master’s thesis focused on increasing the number of women in STEM fields. As a member of the queer community, Megan was accepted into the 2015 White House LGBTQ Tech and Innovation Summit to collaborate in identifying technology and computer science needs as they relate to the LGBTQ community. In her free time, Megan plays roller derby for Boston and goes on adventures with her cat Scout.

Sarah Ciras

Sarah Ciras is in her 11th year of teaching special education, and 7th year of teaching computer science at Landmark School in Beverly, Massachusetts. She works with AccessCSForAll in a research practitioner partnership on the National Science Foundation grant, AccessCSforAll: Including Students with Disabilities in High School Computer Science. As part of this grant, she is helping to facilitate a week-long professional development program for educators. She has spoken at SIGCSE, the CSTA Annual Conference, and the College Board Forum. She has also provided accessibility input on Code.org’s CSP curriculum and to the AP Instructional Design team at The College Board on Computer Science Principles. Sarah is married and has three children, but has four times as many pets. She also has a passion for theatre, reading, and watercolor painting.

Eric Foster 

Eric Foster is in his second year of teaching computer science at George Westinghouse High School in Brooklyn, New York. He prides himself on connecting computer science concepts to cultural references without pandering. His journey to becoming an educator started in 2016 when he left the industry to teach computer science to underserved communities. He has worked with CodeNation, Girls Who Code, All Star Code, and is a supporter of many more. Prior to teaching, Eric worked in digital publishing as a developer and technical project manager for over a decade. He currently calls Bedford-Stuyvesant home and spends his free time volunteering in his community. Eric holds a B.A. in communication arts from Marymount Manhattan College.

Shaina Glass is currently the Program Director of Technology Applications & STEM in Aldine Independent School District in Houston, Texas. She has been an educator for the last 16 years, educating students and teachers alike. She is a graduate from Morgan State University, receiving a B.A. in fine arts and holds a master’s degree from Sam Houston State University in curriculum and instruction with an emphasis in instructional technology. Shaina’s impact on STEM across school districts, and within the education community are noteworthy. She provides instructional support to CS teachers as well as coaches, co-teaches with, and facilitates hands-on professional development for Pre-K to 12th-grade teachers and, to date, has reached over 6,000 students in computer science. She also is currently the president of CSTA Greater Houston Chapter as well as a CS policy advocate and lead learner as a Code.org Regional Program Manager with Rice University School Mathematics Project.

Mayné González Osorio

Mayné González Osorio is the founder and former president of the CSTA Puerto Rico Chapter from 2017-2019 and is currently serving as Relations Manager. For the past 3 years, she has worked as a technology teacher at Jose E. Aponte De La Torre School. She has participated in various events promoting the advancement of CS in Puerto Rico, including the first PD of Mobile CSP in Puerto Rico in 2019 and Exploring Computer Science. Mayné has provided CS workshops to teachers and students through CSTA Puerto Rico and has collaborated in the creation of a CS curriculum with the University of PR and the Department of Education. Her passion and commitment to computer science have allowed her to partner with other entities outside of Puerto Rico. She recently participated in an online event known as Codifi-K, which emerged from the collaboration with Televisa Foundation, Infosys, and Cuantrix, which was focused on providing programming experiences to Spanish-speaking families. Mayné believes and understands that inclusion is important and equal access education in CS must be for all. She has a master’s degree in information systems and fraud investigation.

Deb Harding

Deb Harding is a middle school computer science teacher at STEM Launch in Thornton, CO. She began her career in 1988 as a math teacher and established a computer lab for students to explore computer science. In 1999, she joined the business world to work in the CS field. After experiencing the lack of diversity in the field, she returned to the classroom seeking to inspire students not represented in the CS field to consider it as a career choice. She published a related article in Ed Week, “Time Out of the Classroom Made Me a Better STEM Teacher.” Deb established the Family MakerSpace to help reduce the digital divide and has received $40,000 in grants over the last few years. She is proud of the amazing solutions that her students are developing. In 2019, two of her middle school teams earned first and third place in the Congressional App Challenge for creating their Safe Space and Immigration apps.

 

Shiela Lee

Shiela Lee is a special education teacher entering her 10th year of teaching. After spending a year teaching in Taiwan on a Fulbright Fellowship, she spent the next 8 years integrating computer science into her second-grade classroom in New York City. This upcoming year, she is the STEM teacher and is excited to help her students see their identities in the field of CS. Shiela is also a self-taught coder who has coded tools for teachers to use in their classroom, including a tool for stations teaching and an interactive hundreds chart to see mathematical patterns. She is committed to creating curriculum that is anti-racist and empowering her students to challenge stereotypes. Shiela is a Math for America Master Teacher Fellow and an Upperline Code Teaching Fellow. She holds a B.A. in philosophy from Grinnell College and a M.A. in curriculum and teaching from Teachers College, Columbia University.

Lilibeth Mora

Lilibeth Mora is an equity teacher leader and instructional coach in Vallejo, California. Her teaching philosophy is that all students can learn and she will do everything in her power to create a positive learning environment that is conducive to collaborative learning and creative problem-solving. She spent 15 years in the field of education developing connections with students, constantly learning how to improve her craft, and sharing best practices with others. Within the last few years, Lilibeth became a chapter leader for CSTA Sacramento and discovered a new passion in education–ensuring that all students have the opportunity to take a computer science course in high school and to change the demographics of who’s making programs, software, and artificial intelligence that is changing the way we live. Until the people in those positions match the people who they were intended for, people of all diversity, she will not stop.

Elizabeth Naameh

Elizabeth teaches high school math and computer science, with a focus on equity and engagement. She founded the AP Computer Science program at USC Hybrid High and lectures at UCLA through the AP Readiness Program, which brings high-quality AP instruction to students and professional development for teachers throughout Los Angeles. Elizabeth is a committed advocate for girls and students of color in STEM, working to expand notions of “who” does CS. She has received training through AP CS 50, Code.org, and TEALS. Her accomplishments this year include competing in a triathlon, raising a kitten, starting a book club among friends, and not over-watering her succulents.

Laura Ramirez 

Having received her master’s degree in urban education with a specialization in reading and after 14 years of teaching experience, Laura Ramirez realized she loved teaching technology skills and pursued many certifications and credentials in tech and computer science. Currently, she is National Board Certified and is the Tech Integration Specialist at a Spanish bilingual K-8 school in the Mission district of San Francisco. Having seen how hesitant her students (girls and BIPOC) struggled to coexist with technology and computer science concepts, she created a space where girls and gender-expansive students were comfortable taking risks to solve problems. The Tech Chicas/Chicxs group was born and an army of young girls resurrected to fix the school’s tech issues and learn growth mindset skills. When not teaching, Laura is a member of G.A.N.A (Grupo para el avance de niñas y aliadxs) and La Colectiva, a group of fierce teachers who plan, collaborate, and facilitate activities to girls and nonbinary students to dismantle the microcosms of patriarchy in schools. She is a member of the SF Film Inclusion Advisory Board to improve the Board of Directors’ cultural competency skills, diversity, and refine strategy for providing filmmakers programs, and educational outreach.

Dominick Sanders

Dominick is a computer science teacher in Nashville, Tennessee. This is his fifth year in education and he brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the classroom. Dominick’s true passion is helping others and giving back. In 2019, he founded the first Computer Science Honor Society (CSHS)in Tennessee. Dominick knows first hand the importance of representation. One of his favorite quotes is “You can be what you can’t see.”Keeping that quote in mind, he founded Xposure STEM. Xposure STEM is a non-profit organization designed to empower, expose, and equip underserved boys and girls to become leading contributors to the world of science, technology, engineering, and math. He holds a B.S. degree in computer science from Jackson State University and a M.A.T. with a concentration in secondary mathematics from Relay Graduate School of Education.

Leon Tynes

Leon Tynes teaches technology and computer science to K-8 students at the Academy of Math and Sciences – Desert Sky charter school in Phoenix, Arizona. He is working to transform STEM education within the diverse community that he serves through student participation in STEM challenges, student innovation, and scientific advocacy. Leon has secured a number of STEM grants to support his recent efforts such as Infymakers, McCarthey Dressman, and Verizon Innovative Learning. He was also an AP CSP reader for the past four years. His accolades awards include 2016 Henry Ford Teacher Innovator award, 2016 PBS Digital Innovator, 2017 Grosvenor Teacher Fellow (Galapagos), 2017 ISTE Technology in Action award, 2018 Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms Fellow (Morocco), 2018 ISTE Outstanding Teacher, 2019 Jacobs Educator award, 2019-20 CS for All Teachers Ambassador, 2019 CS for All Teachers Ambassador & 2019 CSTA/Infosys Honorable Mention for Teaching Excellence.

 

John Underwood

Dr. John Underwood is currently an Instructional Specialist of STEM Programs in East Baton Rouge Parish Public Schools. He has taught middle and high school since 2003 and helped to create a research partnership to develop statewide STEM CS pathways for 7-12 students in Louisiana. His research interests include increasing the equity in and access to high-quality computer science education for all students. John is also working to establish rigorous and high-quality professional development to help novice K-12 teachers gain content and pedagogical CS knowledge. John has aided in developing Louisiana’s first Career Technical Education pathway for computer science. He is working with an NSF and EIR grant to make a 7-12 course pathway accessible to all schools in his state. 

James Winn

James Winn is a library/media specialist at Wyoming Indian High School in Ethete, Wyoming. After a first life of IT work (30+ years), he needed a change. His second life began in a Code.org Fundamentals training where he learned that less than 1% of college grads come from the Native American population. This is an untapped resource for America. With this passion for representing his Native heritage, James earned his teaching certificate. Being able to share, inspire, and educate students about the opportunities in CS is now a lifelong pursuit. Through CS, all students everywhere and from every background have the ability to compete on a world stage and come to understand how important they are.

Eboni Zook

Eboni Akpan Zook teaches Computer Science and Technology and facilitates a Girls Who Code Club at the Baltimore Leadership School for Young Women (BLSYW), an all-girls public charter school in Baltimore City, Maryland. Eboni is passionate about increasing STEM learning opportunities for young women of color and students from under-resourced communities. Eboni is entering her ninth year as an educator and recently partnered with the Maryland Center for Computing Education (MCCE) to create a unit of Early Childhood Computer Science curriculum integrated with Next Generation Science Standards. As a Code.org CS Fundamentals Facilitator, Eboni has trained hundreds of elementary school teachers in CS curriculum. Eboni has a B.A. in English from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and an M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction from Loyola University Maryland. She is working on graduate degrees in Special Education and Technology Education. She resides in Baltimore City with her husband, three daughters, and a cat named Bernadette.