Kal Mannis

Kal grew up in south Florida and spent most of his youth between the Florida Keys, Miami, and Ocala. A rural advocate from early on, he has spent the last three decades working in formal and informal education and community research. With funding from the National Science Foundation, Kal and his team implemented a unique program that supported the development of STEM Learning Ecosystems in rural and remote Arizona communities. The study was to see if community-level organizing could impact STEM Identity and workforce opportunities. His work was of interest to a NASA team looking to broaden participation in rural and tribal communities and they have been funding efforts since 2021. In 2022, Kal continues his economic and learning development projects to help established, and new ecosystems throughout Arizona.

Jeannie Colton

With 25 years of experience as an educator and learning experience designer and evaluator, Ms. Colton brings a wealth of experience in understanding how people of all ages learn. She uses this to guide how she designs learning experiences in a variety of environments and content. As a Learning Scientist, she applies her knowledge, skills, and expertise to research, design and evaluate innovative solutions that enhance the outcomes of learners.

Prior to coming to ASU, Ms. Colton was Director of Youth Programs at Arizona Science Center where she led the education team who delivered programming within the center and out in the community.