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CBOWG Strategic Planning Retreat
Seattle, WA — August 17-18, 2006

 

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Bios of Retreat Participants

Steve Amick | Shari Asplund | Kelly Beck | Larry Cooper | Tim Ewers | Jason Freeman | Janet Frieling | Heather Gibbons | Georgia Hall | Cathy Jordan | Carole Kubota | Leslie Lowes | Julie Lutz | Darlette Powell | Irene Porro | Laurie Ruberg | Maryann Stimmer | Gretchen Walker | Kristine Washburn


The attendees at the CBOWG strategic planning retreat in Seattle, August 2006.

Steve Amick is the California Region 9 Lead for Before and After School Programs, responsible to provide training and technical assistance to state and federally funded programs in San Diego, Orange and Imperial Counties. Prior to joining the San Diego County Office of Education in 2003, he served four years as the Administrator of San Diegos 6 to 6 Program, and seven years as an after school program director for the YMCA of San Diego County. He is a member of the National Afterschool Associations Board of Directors, and an Ambassador of the Afterschool Alliance. He is a member of the California Afterschool Network Leadership Team, and was appointed by the State Secretary of Education to serve on the California Advisory Committee on Before and After School Programs.

Shari Asplund is the NASA Discovery and New Frontiers Programs Education and Public Outreach Manager. With a B.A. in journalism, she came to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in 1982 as a technical writer and editor and later spent 10 years as a project and program administrator. Shari joined the Discovery Program Office when it was formed in April 1999; the New Frontiers Program was created in 2004. Both programs consist of lower cost, highly focused robotic space exploration missions designed to enhance our understanding of the solar system. Shari works to promote the programs and missions via three web sites, a quarterly newsletter, and development of targeted products. She co-wrote and executive produced an award-winning video entitled, "Unlocking the Mysteries." She also coordinates education and outreach activities among the programs and the missions. Her efforts have been recognized with NASA Group Achievement awards from the NEAR and Genesis missions. Shari is a NASA Space Flight Awareness honoree, and she received a JPL Honor Award for Exceptional Service.

Kelly Beck is assistant director of service-learning and science outreach coordinator at Stanford University's Haas Center for Public Service. She directs the "Science in Service" program at the Haas Center with funding from the Stanford Solar Group as part of their outreach projects under their development of instrumentation for NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) mission. The Science in Service program trains Stanford undergraduate and graduate students in best practices for mentoring science and best practices in community service followed by placement as science mentors in educational settings. The current community partner is the Boys & Girls Club of the Peninsula. In addition to coordinating the Science in Service program, Kelly assists faculty, engineering and science faculty in particular, with the integration of service-learning into their instruction. In her "free time" she directs the Physics of Toys program at the Exploratorium as a museum volunteer. She serves on the Apparatus Committee of the American Association of Physics Teachers, of which she is a member; as well as the Physics Instructional Resource Association.

Larry Cooper is the Program Planning Specialist for Education and Public Outreach under the NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD). He assists in the general planning, management, and oversight of the SMD Education & Public Outreach Program (E/PO). Previously he was a NASA OSS Education and Public Outreach Broker-Facilitator, responsible for twelve states in the northeast United States. As a broker/facilitator, Larry worked with the space science and education communities to identify high-leverage opportunities for education and public outreach and to help arrange collaborations between scientists and educators. He is a NASA Solar System Ambassador and has presented an array of public outreach and education programs to introduce hands-on astronomy into the classroom, build telescopes, to use space science in promoting achievement in mathematics, technology and literature.

Tim Ewers is an Assistant Professor at the University of Idaho (UI), College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cooperative Extension System. His primary appointment is as a Youth Development Specialist with the State 4-H Office. Although he was formally trained as an environmental toxicologist, he later developed interests in science education and for six years taught general science, science education, and math education at the College of Education. During that time he obtained several grants to develop and promote mathematics and science education among pre-service and inservice teachers. Recently, he accepted a position with the State 4-H Office to develop science, engineering, and technology programming in 4-H affiliated programs as well as with after-school, summer-time, and community-based organizations. His primary interests are to examine how to use out-of-school time to promote youth development in science thinking, problem solving, collaborative working, and better understanding the nature of science and engineering.

Jason Freeman became the Director of the Coalition for Science After School in April 2006. He is headquartered at The After-School Corporation in New York City. Jason holds a Master's Degree in Public Policy from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and is an alumnus of Teach for America. Previously, Jason was a Presidential Management Fellow and served as an Education Specialist in the Informal Education Division at NASA Headquarters. Jason was involved in management of the NASA Explorer Institutes and managed distribution of the NASA and Afterschool Programs report. Among his projects were efforts connected to community partnerships for extracurricular opportunities, hands-on science education through design challenges, and promoting learning through new media, such as electronic gaming. Jason's background is in K-12 education, having taught 5th/6th grade math in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas for three years and then working for a year at the Wright Center for Science Education at Tufts University. He has experience building extracurricular and extended-day programs at public and charter schools.

Janet Frieling is the Associate Director at School's Out Washington and has worked at this organization for over fourteen years. A former classroom teacher and afterschool program director, Janet brings direct experience in both fields to her position. In 2003, School's Out was selected as one of the C.S. Mott Foundation grantees to strengthen the afterschool network in Washington. Janet is directing this effort and in its third year, the Network has already completed the work for a state plan for afterschool programs, and formulated legislative requests to increase funding and supports for afterschool programs. In addition to this work, she oversees the curriculum and training implementation of the "Is Cool" models and provides coaching and training to the contracted trainers for SOWA. Janet holds a BA in Education from the College of Great Falls and a Masters in Non-Profit Leadership from Seattle University. She serves on a variety of state and national committees in an effort to ensure that Washington's children and youth have access to high quality afterschool programs and information on best practices.

Heather Gibbons is the Enrichment Manager in the Education Division at Pacific Science Center. She has worked at Pacific Science Center for 12 years working her way up from a cashier position in 1994. She manages Camps, Camp-In, Science On the Go!, Floor Presentations, the IMLS Visitor and Staff Training grant program, the Mercer Slough Environmental Education Center, the NASA Integrating Origins Forum project and the Dead Sea Scrolls Curriculum Development project. She has been the PI on a NASA Explorer Institute Grant, has managed the PBS NOVA Origins Educational Materials project and the Community Leadership Program. She is currently working in a partnership with Schools Out Washington and Institute for Systems Biology to develop a sustainable science support network for Washington's Out of School Time providers. Her first publication, in conjunction with Kurt Koller, came this year with an article in the Journal for Museum Education about new paradigms in field trip participation at science centers. Heather lives in Bothell, but is originally from Michigan, a graduate of the University of Michigan, and has three children 2, 8 and 10.

Georgia Hall is a Research Scientist at the National Institute on Out-of-School Time which is part of the Wellesley Centers for Women at Wellesley College. She has extensive experience as an evaluator of youth development and out-of-school time programs and activities for children and youth. Dr. Hall recently completed research and evaluation work including: Evaluator for the Harvard After School Initiative Homework Support Program; Investigator for the Massachusetts Afterschool Research Study, which was a statewide research study of 78 afterschool programs in Massachusetts; and Evaluator for the national Discovering Community Initiative in which she produced the "Discovering Community: Activities for Afterschool Programs" which is currently being disseminated. Dr. Hall recently served as a Research Associate on the U.S. Department of Education's America Connects Consortium project and completed a literature review on the use of technology to support academic achievement for high school-age youth during the out-of-school time hours. Dr. Hall's previous work with the Boston Public Schools includes 9 years working in the school-to-work partnership as a manager at the Boston Private Industry Council. She has additional employment experience in college admissions and youth development program management. She is an enthusiastic youth basketball and softball coach!

Catherine Jordan is Program Director for the National Partnership for Quality Afterschool Learning at the Southwest Educational Development Laboratory (SEDL) in Austin, Texas . The National Partnership works to assure that afterschool programs obtain tools, expertise, professional development and technical assistance needed to offer high quality research-based academic content while attracting high levels of student participation. She also leads SEDL's National Center for Family and Community Connections with Schools and has led SEDLs field-based research and development of home, school, and community partnerships. She has served on the National Training Task Force for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers. Prior to joining SEDL, Ms. Jordan served as Executive Director for the McLennan County Youth Collaboration - Communities In Schools, Inc. in Waco, Texas where she developed the nationally recognized afterschool program, "Lighted Schools" as a part of the Pew Charitable Trust's Partnership for Civic Change.

Carole Kubota is an Associate Professor in the Education Program at the University of Washington, Bothell where she prepares K-8 teachers to teach science. She also teaches courses in environmental education, teacher leadership, and organizational change. She has been the Principal Investigator for three NSF grants and fourteen Department of Education grants, all focusing on the professional development of teachers and science education reform. Her publications include articles in the Journal of Research in Science Teaching and the Peabody Journal of Education. On sabbatical leave in 2003-04, she spent her time teaching in K-8 classrooms. In 2005, she was named the Distinguished Teacher of the Year for UW Bothell.

Leslie Lowes is the Co-Director for NASA's Solar System Exploration Education and Public Outreach Forum. She has overseen the building of a national program with the Girl Scouts, formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding between NASA/JPL and GSUSA in March 2003 and expanded NASA-wide in 2005. She is also the co-leader of the NASA space science education working group chartered to explore interations with community-based organizations including youth groups, after-school programs, and libraries. She began her E/PO career as the Galileo Mission to Jupiter Lead Outreach Coordinator. She has initiated innovative E/PO programs such as the Galileo Ambassador to Jupiter Program, the seed program for the highly visible Solar System Ambassador Program. She brings understanding and cultural awareness of the scientific research field from 15 years of Earth atmospheric data processing and data management for JPL, and holds an M.S. in mathematics from California State University Los Angeles and a B.S. in physics from the University of Texas at Arlington.

Julie Lutz enjoys doing professional development workshops for K-12 teachers and informal educators. She chaired the Seattle Regional Convention of the National Science Teachers Association in November 2004 and now serves on the Nominating Committee. She received the Higher Education Teacher of the Year award from the Washington Science Teachers Association in 2005. She serves as the E/PO Coordinator for the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, a multi-institution, multi-national astronomical project. She has directed Space Science Network Northwest (S2N2), an education broker/facilitator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate serving AK, HI, ID, OR, MT, WA, WY, since 2001. She recently served as Chair of a committee to formulate a proposal for an Integrated Sciences undergraduate degree at the University of Washington. Her specialty in astronomy is the late stages of stellar evolution for low mass stars. She has been at the University of Washington since 2000 as a Research Professor of Astronomy and Director for NASA Space Science Network Northwest and the NASA Educator Resource Center at the University of Washington. She is also Co-chair of the Community-Based Organizations Working Group. Prior to her time at the UW she was at Washington State University for 28 years.

Irene Porro is the Education and Public Outreach scientist at the MIT Kavli Institute (MKI). In her work, Irene is able to combine a background in physics and astrophysics with an interdisciplinary approach to science learning and a strong commitment to promote science learning outside of the traditional classroom. As the MKI EPO scientist, Irenes main goal is to create and promote out-of-school time (OST) initiatives to make science education resources available to urban youth. She contributes several years of experience in leading OST astronomy learning initiatives funded through the NASA Space Science EPO Program. She has been focusing on adapting and making available high-quality science education resources for use in OST, and in establishing partnerships with local OST organizations such as Boston 2-to-6 After-School Initiative, Gear Up in Boston, and the Timothy Smith Network. These efforts have been bringing valuable science programming to OST environments, and provide motivated underserved youth with the opportunities and the tools to pursue high quality science learning. Irene also collaborates with local educators to design and offer professional development programs that specifically meet the needs of Massachusetts science teachers.

Darlette Powell is the Program Specialist for NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD) Broker/Facilitator Space Science Network Northwest (S2N2). Darlette began working for S2N2 in February 2004 after relocating to Seattle from Alaska where she was the Program Specialist for the Alaska Space Grant Program. Darlette's primary role is to manage the daily administrative activities of S2N2. She works closely with the S2N2 director to promote space science outreach activities in the Northwest. She also works closely with the other states (Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Wyoming) that make up our Space Science Network Northwest.

Laurie Ruberg, Ph.D., is a senior instructional designer/outreach specialist at the Center for Educational Technologies® at Wheeling Jesuit University (1995 to present). Ruberg leads the Mid-Atlantic Region Space Science Broker program to promote partnerships between scientists and educators in efforts to improve science education. Ruberg leads the CET evaluation of NASA's Explorer Schools Project, a three-year partnership between NASA and school teams to further science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education by infusing NASA expertise and resources. She also served as lead designer for the BioBLAST biology education CD-ROM that received the Copper AXIEM (Absolute Excellence in Electronic Media) Award in 1999. Ruberg received her doctorate from Virginia Tech in curriculum and instruction in 1994. She has extensive background with multimedia development, educational research, and education outreach in formal and informal settings.

Maryann Stimmer is the Coordinator of Science Programs at the Educational Equity Center at the Academy for Educational Development (EEC@AED). She has many years of experience in science education, parent involvement, and educational equity. Since the 1994 she has conducted professional development for teachers, parents, administrators and after-school educators. In her role as Science Program Coordinator Ms. Stimmer leads professional development in science and mathematics education and participates in the development of programs and materials that address equity issues around gender, race/ethnicity, disability, and level of family income. Her publications include After-School Science PLUS: Hands-On Activities for Every Student and Playtime is Science for Students with Disabilities. She is Science Advisor on the original Playtime is Science publication. She coordinated the Science Mentoring Partnership for the River Project in New York City and currently coordinates After-School Math PLUS, a National Science Foundation funded project. Ms. Stimmer is a frequent presenter at national education conventions and conferences on science and mathematics education and educational equity.

Gretchen Walker is a member of Education Department of the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. In her position as Project Manager, Gretchen currently works with community-based afterschool programs to add science to their offerings, manages the redesign of hands-on activity carts in three museum halls and the high school internship program that staffs them, and oversees the education department's evaluation strategies, internal and external. Gretchen was the lead author and project manager for a 2-year NASA-funded study that resulted in the report "NASA and Afterschool Programs: Connecting to the Future". Gretchen is a former high school teacher and has an M.A. in Science Education Research.

Kristine Washburn is a Program Specialist for Space Science Network Northwest (S2N2). She collaborates with the S2N2 director to offer teacher workshops and other EPO opportunities. She also maintains the S2N2 website and does webwork for the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Kristine is a recent graduate of the University of Washington's Astronomy and Physics departments where she did a tremendous amount of public outreach with K-12 classes and informal education. This fall she will begin a tenure-track faculty position at Everett Community College teaching physics and astronomy.

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