Bio Coming Soon

Bio Coming Soon

Kathy Renfrew, is an experienced elementary teacher/educator/learner who has been privileged to hold many roles in her career.
Kathy is an education specialist for the Wade Institute for Science Education, a virtual coach for Sibme, an EdReports reviewer, a NMSI coach, a science volunteer in a 2nd grade classroom and much more.

Kathy is an active member of the Council of State Science Supervisors and the National Science Education Leaders Association. She is a board member of MSELA and a member of the MA District Science Leaders Network. She is a vocal advocate for the need of quality science instruction in elementary classrooms
Kathy attended the University of Massachusetts in Amherst for her undergraduate degree in Human Development. She followed that with a M.Ed in Professional Teaching and a MS in K-8 Science Education.

Michael Lach began his career teaching high-school science. After nine years in the classroom, he became a bureaucrat working in a variety of leadership roles in school districts, in government service, and in academia. Currently, he is the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment at Township High School District 113, a small school district on the outside of Chicago.

Kristin Rademaker has been involved in education for over twenty years, teaching both science and special education settings. She has worked with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) since their adoption in 2014 and has worked both locally and nationally in helping districts implement their new three-dimensional state standards. Rademaker serves as a Professional Learning Specialist for the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA). She previously served on Achieve's Peer-Review-Panel and currently serves as a State assessment system reviewer for the U.S. Department of Education. Rademaker is a contributing author to the materials found on the InquiryHub and NextGen Storylines websites and frequently speaks at local, state, and national conferences on instructional shifts toward three-dimensional teaching and learning. Rademaker currently serves as President for the Illinois Science Teaching Association. She received the Robert E Yager Excellence in Teaching Award in 2017 and was named the Yager Scholar for that award year. In 2018, Rademaker received the NSTA Distinguished Teaching Award for her contributions to science education. She is also the co-founder of the NGSS Biology Storylining Working Group that has collaboratively created a full biology course curricular replacement with six coherent storyline units that are now used across the country and internationally.

Jason Crean has taught science at the high school level for 25 years and the college level for the past 15 years. Crean currently teaches in the Department of Biological Sciences at Saint Xavier University where he also trains preservice science teachers. Crean has been awarded the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science Teaching, the Leadership in Science Education Prize by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, as well as awards from the National Science Teachers Association, the National Association of Biology Teachers, the Illinois Science Teachers Association, among others. Most recently he was awarded the Golden Apple award and the 2020 NSTA Distinguished Teaching award. He currently serves as President for the Association of Presidential Awardees in Science Teaching.

Helen spent most of her career as a researcher in particle physics and holds many national and international awards for her work. She has taught physics at all levels, from student teaching in a high school classroom to undergraduate and graduate courses at Harvard and Stanford. As a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the then Chair of their Board on Science Education, she was the chair of the committee that produced “A Framework for k-12 Science Education”. She has devoted her retirement to supporting the implementation of the vision for “3d” science education that it puts forward.

Holly Hereau is an Instructional Materials and Professional Learning Specialist at the National Science Teaching Association, supporting educators to ensure that ALL students have access to high-quality science learning experiences. Before joining NSTA, she worked on teams at BSCS, Northwestern University, and the University of Colorado Boulder to develop high-quality NGSS-designed High School and Middle School storyline units. She taught high school science in Michigan for 15 years and continues to teach biology and environmental science at Macomb Community College as well as classes for pre-service teachers in the College of Education at Grand Valley State University.

Gretchen Brinza has been teaching for nearly two decades in a variety of K-8 STEM teaching positions. She is currently teaching 6th and 8th grade science at Louisville Middle School in the Boulder Valley School District in Colorado. Passionate about three dimensional teaching and learning in science, Gretchen spends time engaged in science education research. Outside of the classroom, she participates in various projects as both an author and pilot teacher through the development of NextGenStorylines units and OpenSciEd. Gretchen is the 2016 K-6 Science Recipient of the President Awards for Excellence in Science Teaching for Illinois.

Zoe Evans is the Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction for Bremen City Schools in Bremen, Georgia. Before becoming an administrator in 2012, she served as a middle grades science teacher for nineteen years having taught in both Florida and Georgia. Mrs. Evans has been both a National Board Certified Teacher in Early Adolescent Science and a Georgia Master Teacher. She is the 2005 Georgia recipient of the Presidential Award of Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.

Mrs. Evans is an active member of the science education community. She served as a member of the writing team for the Next Generation Science Education Standards which have been adopted by 20 states and the District of Columbia. Additionally, she has collaborated with Achieve, Inc. on many projects related to the NGSS such as the NGSS EQuIP Professional Learning Facilitator's Guide, NGSS Example Bundles, and NGSS Evidence Statements. Zoe has served as EQuIP Rubric Professional Learning Facilitator for WestEd and is a Professional Learning Facilitator for the National Science Teaching Association. Additionally, she is a member of the NextGen TIME network, has served as a Tennessee District Science Network member, and has recently completed a three-term as the Coordination and Supervision of Science Teaching Division Director for NSTA. A native Georgian, Zoe earned a bachelor’s degree in middle grades education, master’s degree in middle grades science, and specialist’s degree in middle grade science from the University of West Georgia. Additionally, she has received certification in Educational Leadership from the University of West Georgia. Mrs. Evans lives in Carrollton, GA with her husband Chris.

Mike Fumagalli has been an educator for 15 years, spending 10 years teaching high school life sciences. Mike was the Illinois Science Teacher of the Year in 2014 and the recipient of the 2015 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. He was instrumental in providing professional development around the EqUIP Rubric for Science and has presented at over 25 state and national conferences on science education. Mike has been a middle school Principal and is currently a high school Assistant Director of Teaching and Learning at Glenbard High School District 87 in Illinois.

K. Renae Pullen has been an educator for over 20 years. Currently, she is the elementary science specialist for Caddo Parish Public Schools in Shreveport, Louisiana. Besides being a dedicated science educator, Ms. Pullen has served on several local, state, and national committees. She is currently a member of the Board on Science Education for the National Academies of Sciences and serves on the National Science Foundation’s STEM Education Advisory Panel. She is the recipient of the 2008 Presidential Award for Excellence in Science Teaching for Louisiana.

Meg Richard is a STEM Program Manager for the Kansas Department of Education, supporting K-12 Science. Prior to joining the Department of Education Meg was a 7th Grade Science teacher in the Olathe School district and worked to support student sense-making of high-quality phenomena in doing as what she describes as the best job ever. Meg is married to a high school physics teacher and has a 5-year-old son who serves as their resident curiosity coordinator. She was also a 2019 Kansas recipient of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics Science Teaching and achieved National Board Certification EA Science in 2019.

Cassidy Lynn Urie has spent her eleven-year teaching career at Jefferson Middle School (JMS): A STEAM Academy, where she teaches Advanced Math 6, Math 6, and Interior Design. In 2014, she was selected to attend the Scranton Young Women’s Leadership Seminar in Seoul, South Korea. In 2015, she was chosen to attend the Korea Academy for Educators in Koreatown in Los Angeles, CA. In 2019, Cassidy was selected as a Global Learning Fellow from the NEA Foundation, which culminated with a place-based learning experience in South Africa. And in 2020, Cassidy was awarded the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. Cassidy is the Mathematics Department Chair at JMS and the District 6th Grade Math Professional Learning Team (PLT) Leader. She serves on the Missouri Advisory Board for Educator Preparation and the Missouri Council of Teachers of Mathematics Executive Board. Cassidy earned a B.S. in secondary education and an M.Ed. in curriculum and instruction as a teaching fellow from MU; an M.Ed. in educational leadership from Columbia College; and is currently pursuing an Ed.S. in mathematics education from MU.

Katie Stevenson has spent her fourteen years in education teaching all grades K-5 in multiple states and districts. She is currently working as an Elementary Instructional Coach in the South Redford School District in Redford, Michigan. In 2018, Katie was awarded the PAEMST Award for Elementary Science and MSTA's (Michigan Science Teachers Association) Elementary Teacher of the Year. This led her to Siena Heights University where she is teaching Science Content for Elementary Teachers as an Adjunct Professor. Katie is also serving as MSTA's Elementary Director and leading her school district science curriculum committee

Science Editor, Ocean Geographic Magazine

Alex Rose holds B.S. in Biology, a M.S. in Aquatic Biology, and has a wide variety of experience in the biological sciences. She is a professional violinist, photographer, and lover of all things aquatic. She is currently working as the Science Editor and a principle writer for Ocean Geographic Magazine and is the Managing Editor of Ocean Geographic Explorers. She is a free-lance science writer and editor as well. Alex also composes violin pieces for use in ocean themed films and exhibitions. Her driving goal is to find ways to protect our world’s precious marine habitats through diving, writing, photography, education, and research.