Brianne Caplan is the Executive Director and Founder of Code Your Dreams, a Chicago-based nonprofit that empowers underserved youth to solve their community’s problems through code. Bri is also the Founder of CoderHeroes, a company that makes coding imaginative, impactful and personal for children through individual and group virtual sessions. As a former Data Scientist and Program Director for Careers in Computer Science at the University of Chicago, Bri strives to make the technology sector accessible to all.

Elle Ramel is the Chicago Director for GET Cities, a city-based initiative to advance women in the tech economy. Prior, she project managed the redevelopment of the Michael Reese Hospital site for Farpoint Development and led strategic partnerships at City Tech Collaborative, the smart city lab of Chicago, and an Economic Policy Associate in Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s office at the City of Chicago. She has worked on financial issues and economic development, including infrastructure, corporate recruitment, job growth, sustainability, food business, innovation spaces and land use. She completed her bachelor’s at Yale University in Urban Studies and a master’s degree at Cambridge University in Land Economics/Town Planning.

Nelly Cheboi is a software engineer, a co-founder of a TechLit Africa, and an advocate to end child illiteracy around the world. Nelly grew up in rural Kenya, Mogotio. The situation here was dire. Circumstances forced her to raise her younger sister when she was just nine years old. She would go to garbage pits and scavenge for food. She hated her reality growing up. Through hard work, determination and a lot of luck, she landed a full scholarship to Augustana College, IL in 2012. While an undergrad, she saved 80% of income from her various campus jobs and invested it in her community back in Kenya. Education and digital technology seemed like the most important contribution she could make and she was determined to make it happen. She built a school there, Zawadi, and later started TechLit Africa.

Sofia Gross is a Public Policy Manager at Snap, Inc's where she oversees government, political and non-profit partnerships in Washington, DC. Most recently, Sofia led an initiative that helped over 1.3 Million Snapchatters register to vote and she was recognized as a Forbes 30 under 30 for her civic efforts during the 2018 Midterm Elections. Last year, Sofia was a Technology and Democracy Fellow at the Ash Center of Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard Kennedy School where she co-authored a case study on Civic Responsibility: The Power of Companies to Increase Voter Turnout. Sofia studied International Studies and Near Eastern Languages & Civilizations at The University of Chicago where she was also Captain of the Varsity Swimming & Diving Team. Sofia currently serves on The University of Chicago's Alumni Schools Committee Task Force, serves on the Board of Advisors for the Institute of Politics at UChicago and has recently been selected to serve as a Public Affairs Officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve. Sofia advises a number of civic organizations including Civic Alliance, 50x2026, Civic Responsibility Project, National Voter Registration Day, Vote Early Day and TurboVote.

JD Whitman is an educator, installation artist, and ocean advocate conducting research in the United States and Ireland. She investigates how art, science, and technology can be combined to circumvent ecophobia in environmental education, facilitate effective science communication, and increase global ecoliteracy rates. Through collaborations with environmental industry experts worldwide, she builds interactive installations that bring the ocean to viewers, translate complex scientific ideas, ease ecophobia and climate anxiety, and spark positive conversations surrounding environmental concerns. She received her MFA in Photography (2019), MFA in Sculpture (2018), and her MA in Studio Arts (2016) from the University of Iowa; her Post-Baccalaureate in Fine Art from the National University of Ireland, Galway / Burren College of Art (2014); and her BA with honors from the University of Chicago (2013).

Selim joined the App Inventor team in 2018 as a curriculum developer. He is a former K-12 mathematics teacher who has taught overseas and in the US for 22 years, exploring intersections of technology and playful constructionist pedagogies in the classroom. Recently he worked on the Beauty and Joy of Computing project as a curriculum designer at EDC (Education Development Center) which in collaboration with UC Berkeley and NYC Public Schools aims to make computer science accessible and enjoyable for a diverse population of students. When not working Selim enjoys playwriting and creating visual arts.

Karen spent several years as a software engineer, and then decided education was her true calling. She spent 20 years teaching Computer Science in several international schools and around New England. She was worked as Education Manager for MIT App Inventor since 2015, developing tutorials, curriculum, and doing outreach to teachers and students. She also served on board of directors for the Computer Science Teachers Association for 5 years and is passionate about Computer Science education and exposing students to the boundless opportunities CS presents.

Yolanda is currently serving as the technology department lead at Michele Clark High School. She finds these roles to be incredibly fulfilling as they allow her to help students to begin understanding their own potential. The majority of the student body are from various minority groups, and she works to inspire them in ways that she did not have growing up. Tucker is on the Board for Code Your Dreams, a youth program that helps students to learn how to code, as well as learn what they will need to know to become successful business owners. She has attended conferences dedicated to helping students become young entrepreneurs. As a representative of teachers' viewpoints on computer sciences, she is able to help provide a new voice for the direction of the lessons. Beyond technology, she gives her voice for students’ and teachers’ Journeys to Justice, a position that focuses on helping establish racial equality for all youth. She is also very proud of her work as an Incubator business teacher as she helps instruct students on social responsibility. A lot of the focus is on identifying issues plaguing the students' communities and environments and looking for business solutions that will improve or eliminate the issues. Students pitch their ideas in a way similar to Shark Tank, gaining investors for their solutions. When students complete this class they are able to take Tucker’s college Business course. Tucker teaches a small business course at the Malcolm X College. Teaching Business to today’s youth is one of her greatest passions because it is helping to shape future business leaders and entrepreneurs.

Marlena Eanes joined the Microsoft TEALS team in January of 2020. A Milwaukee, WI native, she earned a dual Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Secondary Education from Marquette University and a dual Master of Arts in Administrative Leadership and Instructional leadership with principal and director of instructor licenses from Alverno College. Before coming to TEALS, she worked as a 6-12 math teacher, cross country/track coach and math curriculum developer. Her passion for CS education stems from her commitment to increasing STEM access and opportunities for the students of color in her classrooms and her desire to narrow the opportunity gap in Milwaukee. Additionally, she is a visual artist, working as an oil painter and a muralist.

Born in Colombia, raised in Chicago, Olga has been a Strategic Initiatives Manager (SIG) with Apple Public Sector (formerly EDU) for almost 8 years. Previously, she spent time at Chicago Public Schools, City Colleges of Chicago and the Mayor’s Office of Chicago working on intergovernmental matters such as funding, policy and advocacy on behalf of students in Chicago, the majority of which are members of underrepresented groups. Currently, Olga spends her time advocating for funding, equity, and access to technology across government sectors with a particular focus on Education. Olga is a graduate of the Chicago-Kent College of Law.

Calvin Robinson is currently a Data Architect supporting the Information and Applications Division at NASA Glenn Research Center. In his current role, he works with several teams to help optimize the use of information for general purpose data analysis, and space communications. Previously, Calvin has managed a project to create data management solutions for the Center, and has supported various research teams with scientific analysis including space communications and air breathing propulsion. In his spare time, Calvin enjoys educational outreach and creating music.

Devshi Mehrotra is the CEO and co-founder of JusticeText, a public-interest technology company focused on ensuring fairer, more expedited criminal justice outcomes through audiovisual evidence management software. She received her BS/MS in computer science from the University of Chicago and her MS in global affairs from Tsinghua University through the post-graduate Schwarzman Scholars fellowship. During her time in college, she was recognized by the Obama Foundation as an active community leader for her contributions to advancing gender and racial equality in STEM education across Chicago. Devshi has led applied machine learning projects at Google Brain, Microsoft Research, Peking University, and Stanford Law.