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Dr. Veronica Cateté is an Assistant Professor in the at . She joined the department in April 2018 as a Research Scientist in the after earning her B.S. and Ph.D. in Computer Science from NC State University and her M.S. in Computer Science from . Dr. Cateté was a and an . She received back-to-back Best Paper awards at the international conference on (2016, 2017) for her dissertation work and has also earned Best Paper awards at the (2022) and Conference (2014).

Her specialty is in K-12 Computer Science Education and her research lies at the intersection of Computer Science frontiers and the Learning Sciences. Dr. Cateté's research primarily focuses on enabling broader participation in computing by teachers, students, and other community stakeholders. Her research explores curriculum for instructor influence, student ownership, collaboration, and creativity, scaffolding designs, and extension activities for advanced learners.

Michael is the Superintendent of the Mineola School District, a suburb of NYC. Mike began his career as a social studies teacher in NYC. While teaching he earned his doctorate from Columbia University and accepted an administrative position with Mineola in 1999.

He believes strongly in the district’s mission to inspire students to become lifelong learners that exhibit strength of character and contribute positively to a global society. During his twenty three years with the district, he has been a big proponent of using technology to engage students in rigorous content. All five schools in Mineola have been recognized as Apple distinguished schools. Mineola is also a member of the League of Innovative Schools, Dr. Nagler is the Chairperson of the Advisory Board.

Mineola was one of the first schools in the State to implement a comprehensive computer science curriculum starting in kindergarten. Mineola is also at the forefront of digital student portfolios. Dr. Nagler recently utilized the Districts coding platform to create his own digital portfolio.

Dr. Nagler was the 2020 New York State Superintendent of the Year and was a Finalist for the 2020 National Superintendent of the Year. He recent published a book entitled: The Design Thinking, Entrepreneurial, Visionary Planning Leader- a Practical Guide for Thriving in Ambiguity

Gordon Smith has been an education entrepreneur for more than 20 years. Prior to joining as vice president of product strategy in 2023, he co-founded Codesters, a web-based coding curriculum that teaches the Python coding language to 8th through 12th graders. He also created a tutoring company that provides in-person and online support to help students overcome barriers to learning.