Jessica is the Instructional Design Lead at The AI Education Project, bringing over a decade of experience developing engaging STEM and arts-integrated curricula. Her passion is designing thought-provoking, project-based learning experiences that inspire K-12 students to become active creators and ethically-minded users of AI technology. She has created and taught AI literacy lessons for diverse audiences, including public school classrooms, independent schools, post-secondary institutions, and community workshops. Jessica’s interdisciplinary approach integrates computer science concepts with creativity, empowering youth to leverage AI to positively impact their communities.

Since February 27, 1992 Amanda has dreamed of walking again. On that fateful date, a freak skiing accident rendered her with a permanent spinal cord injury from the pelvis down. She has since been involved in community and outreach projects that aim to improve the lives of individuals with disabilities. Amanda is the founding Executive Director for Bridging Bionics Foundation, demonstrating how bionic exoskeleton technology has a positive impact on quality of life. On October 19, 2015, Bridging Bionics officially launched their Mobility Program for Roaring Fork Valley residents. The goal of the program is to provide access to this cutting-edge robotic technology, which is typically cost prohibitive, to enhance neuro-recovery and quality of life for any individual with a neurological mobility challenge.

Amanda showcased the first partially 3D printed exoskeleton in the world for Singularity University’s European Summit in Budapest, Hungary, and then again at the Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado. In November 2014 Amanda presented her forwarding thinking ideas about humanizing technology at TEDCity2.0 in Chengdu China. In 2018 Amanda was honored as a Top Ten CNN Hero. She lives with her golden retriever, Winston, in Basalt, Colorado.

Cristina is the Chief Learning Officer at The AI Education Project, a nationally recognized nonprofit focused on bringing AI education to teachers and students everywhere. Cristina’s team builds and distributes free, accessible AI curricular materials, leads teacher trainings, and steers national thought leadership aimed at raising the bar for AI literacy in K-12 schools. Cristina is a long-time educator and entrepreneur with experience in public school classroom teaching, curriculum design, instructional coaching, and program management. Her work as an educator is based on the fundamental belief that high-quality AI education must be centered around the intersection of AI and non-technical subjects with a focus on empathy, creativity, and critical thinking. She previously worked with organizations like Girls Who Code, AI4ALL, and Boolean Girl to design and implement equitable, innovative computer science programs for K-12 learners throughout the country.

Prof. Shah began her studies in theoretical particle physics at the University of Chicago working on extensions of the Standard Model, hypothesizing the existence of extra dimensions. As a Postdoctoral Fellow, Prof. Shah was heavily involved in studying the phenomena that may be observed at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN if there exists a fundamental symmetry in nature called Supersymmetery, concentrating on possible connection between Higgs physics and Dark Matter. As faculty at Wayne State University she continues to pursue these ideas.

Prof. Shah was the recipient of the GAANN (Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need) fellowship awarded by the Department of Education (2007) and the recipient of the Bloomenthal fellowship (2008) for excellence in research by the University of Chicago.