Create Mode in Education

Tiggly is focused on creating powerful new ways of learning for young children by bringing physical play into their digital experiences. Tiggly Learning Systems have been implemented in more than 4000 schools, distributed in retail stores such as Apple, Barnes and Noble, Target, Best Buy, and Toys R Us, and launched internationally in Europe, China, South America, South Africa, and the Middle East. As a co-founder, I have been involved in all aspects of our company with a focus on product strategy, education go to market strategy, product design and research, and initiating partnerships with companies such as Sesame Workshop to propel our company’s mission and reach.

The TED Residency program is an incubator for breakthrough ideas. TED Residents spend fourteen weeks at TED headquarters in New York City, working on their ideas.As part of this residency, I incubated the model behind The Giant Room: an innovation hub/co-learning space for kids. My TED talk will be published in Spring 2019.

littleBits is a STEM and coding platform of easy-to-use electronic building blocks, empowering everyone to create inventions, large and small. With endless inventions, guides, and resources, educators and students can engage in increasingly complex challenges and grow their technology literacy, critical thinking, creative confidence, coding, and STEM skills. As the head of education strategy, I worked closely with our product, marketing, and sales teams to ensure our product offerings and positioning aligns with teachers' need in classroom, admins' vision for their school system, and more importantly students' learning and engagement. I also took the lead in establishing littleBits as a thought-leader in STEM and STEAM education, providing resources for educators to implement a successful and effective STEM and coding program. These resources include webinars, whitepapers, conference presentations and panel discussions. As part of these efforts, I established strong partnerships with organizations such as Digital Promise, Google Education, and STEMIE Coalition to increase our outreach and have a stronger influence in the k-12 education system.

Teaching "Development of Mathematical Thinking" graduate level course.

• Recipient of Dean’s Doctoral Research Fellowship, Cleveland Dodge Fellowship, Zankel Urban Fellowship, W. H. Patterson Scholarship, and numerous travel scholarships • Conducted quantitative, formative, and qualitative research studies in schools and lab settings with adults and children• Designed various digital games for MathemAntics software- an early mathematics platform. Under supervision of Prof. Herbert Ginsburg- $5M funded by IES• Worked on several quantitative experimental research studies focused on effects of gesturing on children and adults’ thinking, learning, and problem solving. Under supervision of Prof. Barbara Tversky- Funded by National Science Foundation (NSF)• Collaborated and took lead in writing multiple government grant proposals (NSF, IES, NIH)

Projects: Lit- a Mobile Game for Smoking ReductionBoogie Game- a Math Mobile game for preschoolersProjo- Learning with Kids Games2Girls

Research and report on mathematics, digital media, and technology curriculum best provide appropriate adaptations for mathematically advanced youngsters.