We’re teachers, too…

 

Nancy Sturm

Director of Education Strategy

 

Nancy Sturm’s approach to education is to take things out of this world and bring them down to earth to make learning come alive for students. Among her wide experiences as an educator, Nancy has served as the director of Wheeling Jesuit University’s Challenger Learning Center, a program that lets students participate in hands-on simulated space missions as they learn more about math, science and teamwork.

 

Nancy holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from University of Northern Iowa and a Master of Science in Education from the University of Iowa. Her role as director of the Challenger Learning Center in West Virginia involved training thousands of teachers to use technology effectively to help students succeed in the classroom. She created, developed and marketed the first online space simulation delivered through technology and used by other Challenger Learning Centers across the country. She has served as an Education Technology Advisor to West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin III, as well as on numerous educational boards and commissions, including the State Superintendent’s Advisory Council for the West Virginia Frameworks for 21st Century Learners, the American Public University System and the Challenger Center for Space Science Education.

 

Among her accomplishments as an educator, Nancy has been named Science Teacher of the Year for Iowa and been invited to the White House to showcase the educational technology programs she has developed and lead. She has also been honored for her work with the Challenger Learning Center with a “Giraffe” award for sticking her neck out to benefit student advancement in technology.

 

At PolyVision, Nancy builds and directs the education market strategy, strengthens strategic partnerships with industry leaders to create comprehensive education solutions to ensure success in today’s classrooms, oversees the professional development programs, and serves as a leader and mentor for our team of education consultants.

 

Amy Brandt

Education Consultant

 

As a first grade teacher, Amy Brandt could never wait to get to school each day, and she sought to share that excitement for learning with her students. It’s one of the reasons she embraces the use of interactive tools to help inspire and engage students.

 

Amy continues to work to pass along a passion for learning—by helping teachers integrate interactive tools into their classrooms. Prior to joining the PolyVision Education Team, she worked as an assistant principal of a pre-kindergarten through eighth grade school. Amy holds a Bachelor of Science degree in human development and family studies from Colorado State University and a Master of Education degree from the University of Phoenix.

 

In her role with PolyVision, Amy draws on her experiences in the classroom, as well as the examples of other teachers in her family. One of her goals as an Education Consultant is to help teachers incorporate interactive technology into their daily teaching patterns, helping them to more effectively engage students in learning, especially those who might otherwise act disruptively or not pay attention in class.

 

Those who work with Amy can expect her to be knowledgeable and filled with ideas for transforming lessons and classrooms to maximize the education experience for both teachers and students.

 

Carissa Bailey

Education Consultant

 

For Carissa Bailey, the challenges of teaching—whether sixth grade math students or other teachers immersing themselves in technology strategies—are made gratifying in “light bulb” moments.

 

As a middle school math teacher, soccer coach, and community service club and drama group advisor, Carissa worked to help students develop passion for learning through the use of hands-on tools that support personal accomplishments. As a training development specialist for PolyVision, she works with teachers to transform lessons into interactive activities that engage and empower students. Her goal is to help teachers tap into student interest in technology to prepare them for success in and out of the classroom.

 

Carissa also communicates education needs and solutions to the sales force, ensuring that classroom needs drive sales priorities. In addition to her classroom experience, Carissa holds a Master of Education degree from the University of Georgia.

 

Teachers who work with Carissa can expect to experience light bulb moments—when a concept suddenly clicks—in themselves and in their students.

 

Jim Chiavacci

Professional Development Manager

 

A veteran teacher of multi-age special education classrooms, Jim Chiavacci recognizes how a technology-integrated curriculum can help students with learning or other disabilities close the educational gap between themselves and their peers.

Jim now oversees PolyVision professional development programs for teachers, drawing on his classroom experiences and his 16 years as University of Maine College of Education and Human Development professor and director of the university’s Master of Education program in Instructional Technology. He is a Doctor of Philosophy and an Apple Distinguished Educator. By working to ensure that teachers are confident and successful in integrating technologies into their teaching strategies, Jim builds on his primary goal as an educator—making a difference in students’ lives.

Teachers who work with Jim through PolyVision professional development programs can expect him to provide expert insight into the importance of using technology effectively. They can also expect Jim to bring a fun approach to learning, just as he did in his classrooms as a teacher and professor. Just don’t plan to stump him with outlandish excuses for homework not getting done—he’s already heard them all.

 

Joyce Chiavacci

Education Consultant

 

While Joyce Chiavacci’s fourth-grade classroom might have looked in many ways like an average classroom, the learning that took place inside was anything but typical. Joyce’s own experiences as a struggling student and her desire to help others like her led her to become an educator. Her highly interactive, hands-on and visual approach to teaching developed as a way to make learning easier and more engaging for all students, especially those facing challenges in the classroom.

As an education consultant for PolyVision, Joyce helps teachers, schools and school districts seamlessly adopt and integrate interactive tools into the classroom and curriculum. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education with a minor in art from the University of Maine. She has been a fourth-grade teacher, basketball coach, advisor and mentor to student groups and coordinator for a school accreditation program. Joyce draws on her active participation in the University of Maine’s annual program on integrating technology into the classroom to instruct and engage students and enhance the learning process.

Teachers who work with Joyce through PolyVision can expect to experience the same sense of humor her students knew her for, as well as her energetic and knowledgeable approach to interactive teaching and learning.

 

Jason Dempsey

Education Consultant

 

As a high school anatomy and physiology, biology and physical science teacher, Jason Dempsey challenged his students and himself by doing things in unconventional ways. That meant Jason consistently looked to frame lessons in ways his students would relate to and learn best. Sometimes that involved taking advantage of unexpected teaching opportunities. When one class frog ate another pet frog, Jason turned the situation into a lesson about the role of predation in biology and nature.
 
Jason holds a Master in Business Administration degree in marketing. He advises the PolyVision sales team on educational issues, helping dealers and selling partners understand classroom needs and requirements. As part of his role with PolyVision, Jason develops curriculum tools to help teachers understand and integrate technology tools to prepare students for a global environment, and he serves as a liaison to teacher groups to ensure they are confident and successful in implementing new educational tools. Jason’s goal is to help others make the shift from teacher-centric teaching to student-centric learning, in ways that benefit both teachers and students.
 
Teachers who work with Jason can expect him to bring the same consideration, expertise and passion that his students knew him for. He hopes to surprise those he works with by showing how technology can transform the classroom.

 

Crystal Just

Education Consultant

 

Sometimes, as Crystal Just discovered in her classroom, the best thing a teacher can do is go with the flow. As a second grade teacher Crystal embraced when her students would throw curveball questions at her during class discussions and activities, because it usually led to very teachable moments. Her approach to teaching—whether through impromptu lessons, interactive presentations or group learning activities—was designed to foster curiosity and a love for learning in her students.

Crystal continues to cultivate excitement for teaching and learning in her work with PolyVision. As an education consultant, she helps teachers develop in their use of interactive tools, which translates into engaged, successful students. Crystal has a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Education degree from Texas State University. She specializes in elementary and early childhood education, and has a deep knowledge of research methods related to education and alternatives to traditional teaching methods.

Those who work with Crystal can expect her to be as passionate about helping teachers grow in their use of technology as she is about engaging students to learn.

 

Amanda Oneth

Education Consultant

 

Teaching is about connecting for Amanda Oneth; being a part of helping students make learning connections is what makes it gratifying. As a fourth grade teacher, Amanda worked to create a classroom environment where students enjoyed learning, and where each student received the attention needed to succeed.

In her work with PolyVision, Amanda helps teachers use interactive tools effectively and efficiently in their classrooms. She has a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Oklahoma. In addition to her work in the classroom, Amanda has spent several summers teaching students at a science camp. Her lessons on projectiles always delivered a blast, giving Amanda a reason to consider herself a “rocket scientist.”

Those who work with Amanda can expect her to bring a skilled approach to integrating technology in the classroom. As a teacher, Amanda understood how the use of technology helped her run the classroom more smoothly, giving her the time she needed to work one-on-one with students or in small groups. Her goal is to help other teachers experience those benefits as they engage students in learning.

 

Marisa Sergnese

Education Consultant

 

In working with students of diverse backgrounds, personalities and abilities, Marisa Sergnese learned to adapt her teaching style to their learning needs. Marisa is adept at identifying ways technology can help students understand concepts and serve as an essential tool to prepare students for their adult roles in society.

 

At PolyVision, Marisa’s priority is to help teachers integrate interactive technology seamlessly into their daily lives in the classroom. Marisa has a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Psychology and minor in French from Trent University in Peterborough, Canada.  She also has a Bachelor of Education degree from Queen’s University in Kingston, Canada.  Her principal certification is through York University in Toronto, Canada as are her certification specialists for Primary/Junior Education, French as a Second Language and Special Education. She has taught in classrooms from Kindergarten to eighth grade, and worked teaching students learning English as a second language and students with autism.

 

Those who work with Marisa through PolyVision can expect her to bring an energetic and resourceful approach to teaching with technology.

 

Eric Spicer

Education Consultant

 

Eric Spicer knows that opportunities for teaching don’t just happen in a classroom. As an elementary and middle school teacher, Eric served as a coach and mentor for students in sports and afterschool clubs, getting to know students personally and encouraging them in a variety of learning activities.

Eric’s early teaching experiences included working with elementary school students in an afterschool computer club. Seeing students get excited about learning and how much they developed their skills in the process convinced him of the importance of integrating technology into the classroom. Eric has a Bachelor of Arts degree and Master of Arts in Educational Technology from Michigan State University, where he currently is an adjunct professor in the Educational Technology Masters Program. He has also taught adult education classes.

Those who work with Eric through PolyVision can expect him to bring a sense of fun to integrating technology in the classroom, and a well-rounded perspective on how technology can benefit both teachers and students.

 

Lissa Weier

Education Consultant

 

Teaching is a personal thing for Lissa Weier. Lissa focuses on building relationships and engaging students to learn, a teaching philosophy she learned from her parents—both teachers.

 

As an education consultant for PolyVision, Lissa helps teachers feel comfortable and confident integrating hands-on technology tools into their classrooms. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Alma College and a Master of Arts in educational technology from Michigan State University. In her role as a junior high math and English teacher, Lissa consistently looked for ways to integrate new technologies into her classroom—a surefire way to get students’ attention, as she discovered. Her responsibilities as a teacher included creating and maintaining the school’s interactive classroom websites and coaching softball and basketball teams.

 

Those who work with Lissa through PolyVision can expect her to be a reliable resource as they integrate interactive tools into the classroom experience.

 

Melissa Westphal

Education Consultant

 

For Melissa Westphal, a one-size-fits-all mentality is viewed as no way to approach education. In her high school special education classroom, Melissa integrated a variety of hands-on learning activities to help students with learning, behavior and cognitive disabilities feel motivated and empowered to learn. She worked to create a classroom environment that was warm and inviting, allowing students to feel comfortable and more engaged in the learning process.

 

In her work with PolyVision, Melissa focuses on helping teachers feel confident incorporating technology into their lesson plans to engage students in learning. Melissa received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Villa Julie College, now known as Stevenson University. Her role as a high school special education teacher included working as an educational case manager—assessing student abilities and needs, developing individualized education plans and monitoring student progress throughout each school year.

 

Those who work with Melissa can expect to benefit from her personalized approach to education, as well as experience in integrating a variety of interactive technologies to motivate, engage and empower students. She might even share her never-fail tip for quieting rowdy students—singing to them in an enthusiastic but off-key voice.

 

PolyVision Executive Team

Bob Crain

PolyVision General Manager

 

At PolyVision, Bob Crain is responsible for all aspects of the business—a role that involves leading global teams to develop innovative products and sustainable solutions for learning environments around the world. His primary goal is to ensure that students, teachers and workers have the tools they need for learning, educating and collaborating in the 21st century.

 

Bob has a Bachelor of Business Administration degree and a Master of Business Administration degree from Western Michigan University. He has been active in several post-graduate learning and development opportunities, including the Center for Creative Leadership, DDI International Business Leader Development Program and Steelcase University. Bob’s educational experiences include teaching marketing to graduate students at Central Michigan University.

 

Previously, he worked in many roles for Steelcase—often times learning on-the-job—including as director of corporate and national marketing, vice president of marketing and industrial design, and vice president of marketing and product development. Bob also co-founded a consulting firm to assist executives at manufacturing companies develop products and strategies for success. Prior to joining PolyVision, Bob was president and CEO of Custom Cable, a Steelcase company specializing in communication technology.

 

Bob’s leadership skills began to develop at an early age through his experiences in earning the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest award in the Boy Scouts of America organization.

 

Regina Bryant

Vice President, Human Resources and Corporate Development

 

Regina Bryant’s experiences teaching second grade and young people in alternative high schools taught her to think on her feet and lead with patience and compassion, qualities she draws on in her role with PolyVision.

 

Regina works with team members from around the world and is responsible for establishing and directing the company’s human resource strategies.

 

Regina has a Bachelor of Arts degree in teaching for young children from Texas Tech University and a Master of Arts degree in organizational development from Webster University. She has served in the United States Air Force as a commissioned officer, including as Chief of Air Traffic Control Operations at Little Rock Air Force Base in Little Rock, Arkansas. Prior to joining PolyVision, Regina led human resource strategies and programs at a biotechnology company, a nuclear engineering firm and a pharmaceutical company.

 

Her role with PolyVision brings her back to her first passion—education and improving the learning experience for students, teachers and workers.