Rena Clark

My CSTA Story

Rena’s CSTA journey began when she met an amazing educator and CS advocate, Cheri Bortleson. She introduced Rena to the CSTA K-12 CS Standards and encouraged Rena to attend CSTA in 2017 in Baltimore. It was at this conference that she met Kristeen Shabram, future CSTA Conference Chair. They instantly hit it off and found connection around their passions for CS and in their personal lives. The following year, Kristeen invited Rena to participate in the session reviews, which paved the way for deeper involvement with CSTA. Rena then joined the conference committee, starting as the Elementary Conference Lead. Rena then was part of the Elementary Subcommittee, and now, with coaching experience and administrative credentials, she serves on the Admin/Coaches Subcommittee. Rena has learned so much as a result of being a part of the CSTA community and conference committee.

My Story

Rena Clark, a National Board Certified Teacher and STEM Facilitator in the Renton School District, is a digital learning expert, and one of the podcast hosts for the AVID sponsored podcast, “Unpacking Education.” With her administrative certification and a deep commitment to core values of Joy, Equity, and Creativity, Rena is dedicated to shaping innovative approaches to STEM education. Her work includes incorporating computer science principles into elementary classrooms, promoting cross-curricular learning, and encouraging students to explore and create as modes for deepening learning. Outside of her professional life, Rena is a committed mother of three and a loving wife. She’s also passionate about soccer, tap dance, and enjoys playing the alto saxophone in her community band.