Our Staff

202-633-3002

DamicoA@si.edu

Amy D’Amico, PhD, joined the SSEC in 2013 as the Division Director of Professional Services. She oversees professional development and leadership development initiatives at SSEC. Prior to joining the SSEC, Amy was a member of the faculty in the biology department at Georgetown University. At Georgetown, she taught a variety of biology courses and co-directed the RISE & Teach program for biology undergraduates who complete a thesis while teaching in the District of Columbia Public Schools. In addition, Amy served as a consultant at the SSEC to assist in the program development and execution of the K-12 Science Education Institutes for Leadership Development and Strategic Planning.

Amy has over two decades of experience as an educator that began by teaching middle school for the Cambridge Public Schools in Massachusetts. Amy quickly became a Middle Grade Science Teacher Leader and worked to implement the district’s five-year strategic plan based on the SSEC’s model of science education reform. While in Cambridge, she also worked on various educational and consulting projects with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, and the American Museum of Natural History. Amy earned her BA in Biology with a minor in Education for Certification from New York University and received a MS and a PhD in Biology from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts.

RogersL@si.edu

Lisa Rogers is the Division Director of Finance & Administration for the SSEC. Lisa is responsible for the financial and administrative operations and financial compliance for the organization. Before assuming this position, she was the Program Specialist for the SSEC’s Professional Development Center. Lisa has over 20 years of experience in finance, grants administration, program management, and development. Prior to joining the SSEC, Lisa was the Program and Grants Administrator for the Council of American Overseas Research Centers, a Development Officer with the Navy League of United States, and worked with the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History, National Museum of the American Indian, and the Smithsonian Associates. Lisa holds a BA in History from the State University of New York at Plattsburgh and studied at the American University of Rome. She has been an adult literacy tutor and received her certification in Teaching English as a Foreign Language.

AllredA@si.edu

Addy Allred is a Program Specialist with the SSEC. She started as an intern with the SSEC Professional Services Division in 2015 and it spurred her career in service, STEM, and education. After graduating from Guilford College with a bachelors in geology and environmental studies, Addy spent a year in AmeriCorps and FEMA Corps responding to disasters as a GIS technician, logistics specialist, and survivor assistant. She previously worked for Latinitas, a non-profit that focuses on empowering all girls to innovate through media and technology. She was able to coordinate multiple volunteer events and facilitate new partnerships such as JCPenney's Hope and Wonder Collection collaboration, raising over 100k for the organization. Her projects at the SSEC include supporting programs focused in diversity, equity, access, and inclusion, and creating professional development for the Smithsonian Science for North and South Carolina Classrooms program. Addy hopes to integrate her passion for service and education into her work at the SSEC and beyond through actions and accountability.

202-633-2975

AndersonD3@si.edu 

Denise Anderson joins the Smithsonian Science Education Center as the Advancement Associate and is dedicated to driving impact through philanthropy. Prior to joining SSEC’s efforts, she worked to fundraise for the construction of a new museum and related programming. Her primary responsibilities included stewarding high net-worth donors and cultivating new relationships for the opening of a new visitor center. Denise holds a BA in History and Political Science from American University. Throughout her undergraduate studies, Denise worked with AU’s Office of Development gaining experience in university fundraising. 

202-633-2978

BlanchardKP@si.edu

Katherine Pedersen Blanchard is Assistant Division Director of Professional Services at the SSEC where she has managed programs and led initiatives across the United States and around the world. Katherine works with teachers, schools, districts and communities to build support for science and STEM education that intersects with social issues and sustainable development. She is passionate about connecting people who are doing this work across geographic borders, disciplines, and generations. During her time at the SSEC, Katherine has led professional development workshops, leadership institutes, and has worked on the development of new initiatives including the Smithsonian Science for Global Goals project. Prior to joining the SSEC in 2012, Katherine worked in theatre production for companies in Santa Fe, New Mexico and Belgrade, Serbia, and was a Fulbright Fellow at the University of Belgrade. She holds a BA in Theatre and Political Science from Coe College, and an MA in International Education from The George Washington University.

202-633-2959

EchevarriaK@si.edu

Kate Echevarria is the Human Resources Liaison for the Smithsonian Science Education Center. She is responsible for handling recruitment, internships, performance management, and all aspects of human resources at the Center. She was previously the Executive Office Manager at SSEC for 10 years. Prior to SSEC, Kate was in human resource management having worked for an international hotel chain, the U.S. Government, and a science non-profit.

202-633-2957

ElianS@si.edu

Sofia Elian is the Graphic Designer at the Smithsonian Science Education Center where she develops illustrations and graphics across multiple platforms for digital projects such as apps, e-books, games, interactive/simulations, and web. Before joining the team, Sofia was a full-time student at American University receiving a BA in Graphic Design. She also worked at her student-run campus coffee shop as both a barista and their graphic designer, as well as interning at The Federal Reserve as a graphic design intern. On top of working and studying, Sofia was the art director for her University’s 2018 Design Show, creating and developing the show’s content, visuals, and exhibition. She has received two awards during her time as a student, a Design Show “Best in Show” award in 2018 for a UI/UX app design and a Visions Award for a scientific explainer animation. In her free time, Sofia enjoys painting, drawing, and longboarding around DC.

202-633-2219

FancherK@si.edu

Kat Fancher is a Program Specialist with the SSEC. Before joining the SSEC, Kat was an educator at McWane Science Center in Birmingham, AL where she created and presented informal science education for the public, students, and teachers. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and her Master’s degree in Instructional Design and Development from the University of South Alabama.

202-633-2960

GainsbackK@si.edu

Katie Gainsback is Assistant Division Director of Professional Services. In this role, she manages programs promoting inquiry-based learning and STEM education across the United States for science teachers, administrators, and community partners. Most notably this work includes the Smithsonian Science for North and South Carolina Classrooms program, funded by a $4.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education. Before joining the Smithsonian in 2012, Katie facilitated school and public programs in informal education spaces including the National Geographic Museum and at the U.S. National Archives. Katie earned her BA in History from the College of William & Mary and holds an MA in Museum Education from The George Washington University.

202-633-2979

GambleA@si.edu

Administrative Assistant.  Allison is responsible for direct support to the SSEC Division Director of Finance & Administration overseeing financial and administrative operations. Allison comes to us after four years with the SI Office of Finance and Accounting, in the Accounts Payable Division. Her great customer relations with all the Smithsonian museums and centers facilitated high volume processing including overseas transactions in multiple foreign currencies.  Allison’s extensive experience as a subject matter expert for the OF&A enterprise system, guided software engineers with the upgrade of the SI-wide cross-functional finance workflow system (SNOW). Prior to moving to the DMV, Allison spent years in commercial industry accounting positions. 

202-633-2992

GibsonH@si.edu

Heidi Gibson is a Curriculum Developer on the Curriculum and Communications Team. Heidi joined SSEC in 2020 to support the writing of Smithsonian Science for Global Goals community research guides. This followed her prior work as an SSEC Research Fellow helping to develop the structure of the guides and aligning it to ideas from socio-scientific, place-based, participatory action, civic, and global learning research. Heidi is passionate about engaging young people to realize their own power to transform the world. She has a MA in International Education and has held roles researching and directing global education programs. Diverse perspectives and experiences are exemplified by Heidi’s background which includes serving as a US Foreign Service Officer, teaching experiential civics to middle and high school students, and receiving a BS in Biology focused on molecular genetics. She loves to travel to new places, grapple with new ideas, and learn new skills.

202-633-2967

GlassmanS@si.edu 

Sarah Glassman, PhD, is responsible for leading the development of K-8 curriculum that is aligned to national science, math, technology, and computer science standards. She leads the development of the Smithsonian Science for the Classroom series, which is an innovative curricula to support teachers to implement the science education reforms of the Next Generation Science Standards. She also led the development of Smithsonian Science for Computational Thinking, which integrates science, technology, engineering, math and computational thinking.

Prior to joining the SSEC, Sarah taught middle and high school and worked in education research at AAAS Project 2061. As a teacher, Sarah taught life, earth, and physical science to middle and high school students in Virginia and New York State. At Project 2061, Sarah worked on assessment alignment to the NGSS and on an NSF-funded project identifying linguistic factors associated with differential student performance on science assessments. Sarah has taught science methods to pre-service elementary teachers as an adjunct faculty at George Mason University.

Sarah earned her doctoral degree in Education from George Mason University in 2016. Her research focused on the relationship between middle school science instruction and student engagement. Sarah has a Master’s degree in Biology Teaching from Union Graduate College and a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Brown University.

GonzalezC3@si.edu

Carolina Gonzalez is a Marketing and Communications Specialist with a background in copywriting, strategy, and digital media advertising for nonprofits and blue-chip brands. She is currently pursuing her Master's degree at Harvard University.

202-633-2991

GraceA2@si.edu

Alex is a Program Assistant in the Professional Services division of the Smithsonian Science Education Center where she supports programs focused in Diversity, Equity, Access, and Inclusion. At SSEC, Alex works with educators and organizations on a local, state, and national level to ensure access to high-quality STEM education opportunities for all K-12 students. Alex holds a Bachelor of Science from Vanderbilt University in Education Studies and Chemistry. She is passionate about increasing access and diversity in science education and affirming that science is for everyone.

202-633-3226

KolbJ@si.edu

Jacqueline Kolb is a Program Specialist at the SSEC who focuses on our sustainability-related initiatives. She hopes to help change how people perceive and interact with their environment, both internal and external, through this work. Before working at the Smithsonian, Jacqueline spent several years teaching in a wide range of contexts and thinking about how she could best help students work with the systemic issues that challenge them every day. This led her to Arizona State University, where she received an MS in Global Sustainability Science. Taking a global perspective has been important to Jacqueline since her first study abroad experience in high school, and she has continued to seek out exchange with the international community, most recently while studying at Leuphana Universität Lüneburg as part of her Master’s degree.  Throughout all the changes in her life, she has been uplifted by reading, music, and cooking, and after seeing how developing her creativity in other fields aided her in her professional life encourages the integration of the arts into scientific learning.

202-633-2998

LeeHy@si.edu

Hyunju Lee, Ed.D. is a research scientist in the Professional Services division of the SSEC. Before joining the SSEC, she was a postdoctoral researcher at Utah State University and at the University of South Florida, and a visiting scholar at Leiden University in the Netherlands. She received the NASA HST Education & Public Outreach grant, and a postdoctoral fellowship from the Science Education Center at the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) of the Caltech. She has participated in several NSF-granted studies in science education, and her research has focused on teacher learning of technology, professional development, student learning of science, and astronomy education. She received her doctoral degree in Science Education from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in US, and a MS in Astronomy from Seoul National University and a BS in Physics with a science teaching certificate from Ewha Womans University in South Korea. She had previously worked for STEM education programs, taught students, and translated children’s science books including Magic School Bus series from English to Korean. Hyunju likes to travel, to look at the night sky, and to spend time with her kids. More information about her research can be found at: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Hyunju-Lee

LucenaJV@si.edu

Victor Lucena is the Digital Instructional Designer and Producer at the Smithsonian Science Education Center. He designs and develops games, simulations, and other digital media. Victor received his Master’s in Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, in their Learning Design Innovation Technology program. He also has a Bachelor’s of Engineering in Computer Science and a minor in Music from Cornell University. Before working at SSEC he had been an instructor at KTBYTE Lt., where he taught and developed curriculum for online computer science classes. And in his free time, Victor enjoys playing games (both digital and tabletop), making musical mashups, and watching video essays on YouTube.

202-633-2964 

McInerneyJF@si.edu

Johnny McInerney is the Executive Office Manager for the Smithsonian Science Education Center. Johnny was born and raised in Golden, Colorado – right where Denver hits the Rockies. He attended the University of Colorado at Boulder (sko’ Buffs!) graduating Summa Cum Laude in Political Science with a minor in Sociology. In 2018, he jumped onto the re-election campaign on Congressman Ed Perlmutter of Colorado’s 7th Congressional District, and after a successful campaign was fortunate to have Rep. Perlmutter offer him the Staff Assistant position in his legislative office on Capitol Hill here in Washington, DC. After two and a half years Johnny transitioned roles to become the Scheduler for Congressman Donald Norcross of Southern New Jersey. While on the Hill, Johnny was elected to a board membership of the LGBT Congressional Staff Association as the 2021 Director of Community Service and Engagement. After he departed the Hill, Johnny worked for a think tank downtown for just under a year before he found himself lucky enough to take this incredible opportunity with the Smithsonian. 

Johnny is passionate about a lot of things: food, film, roller coasters, oil painting, video games, pets, and people…just to name a few!

202-633-2997

MogckA@si.edu

Alexa Mogck is a Program Specialist in the Professional Services division of the SSEC, where she seeks to connect young people, educators, scientists, community leaders, researchers and beyond in their efforts to center youth voice in education, particularly as it relates to STEM Education for Sustainable Development. Most recently, Alexa focuses on not only bolstering and supporting use of the SSEC's Smithsonian Science for Global Goals content, but she also supports a range of projects dedicated to supporting students in seeing themselves as agents of change. Prior to joining the SSEC, Alexa worked and volunteered with many youth-facing science organizations in the Santa Barbara and Minneapolis greater areas and completed a Fulbright Grant teaching English in Terengganu, Malaysia. Alexa graduated from Westmont College with a B.S. in Biology: Ecology, Evolution, and Natural History.

PickS@si.edu

Shellie Pick (she/her) is a Special Projects Coordinator in the Professional Services division of the Smithsonian Science Education Center. Prior to joining SSEC, Shellie began her Smithsonian career at the National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, first working as an animal keeper on the Asia Trail before moving to education. In her most recent role as a Learning Programs Specialist at the Zoo, Shellie developed and delivered virtual learning programs for K-12 and adult audiences, highlighting the importance of saving wildlife and wild places. She is passionate about STEM education, especially ensuring it is inclusive and accessible to all. Shellie received her B.S. from the University of California- Davis in Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology.  

202-633-2984

SchmidtL@si.edu 

Logan Schmidt is a Senior Science Curriculum Developer on the Curriculum and Communications Division. Logan learned at an early age that the only thing she liked better than science was communicating with people about science, and she has spent the last twenty years pursuing that passion. Logan began her career as a teen volunteer in the rainforest and aquarium exhibits of Discovery Place Science Museum, and went on to hone her educational skills at museums, aquariums, wildlife refuges, penguin colonies, publishing companies, and the classroom. She has a B.A. in Biological Sciences and Classics from Wellesley College and a Masters of Science in Teaching with a concentration in Secondary Biology from Boston College’s Lynch School of Education. Logan began her tenure at SSEC writing life and earth science modules for the Smithsonian Science for the Classroom series. She has since pivoted to the Smithsonian Science for Global Goals team and is proud to write freely available, globally relevant community research guides that engage students in meaningful action on socioscientific issues in their own communities.

202-633-2969

ShortM@si.edu

Beth Short, Ed.D. is a Science Curriculum Developer in the SSEC’s Curriculum and Communications division.  Prior to working with SSEC, she worked in both formal and informal educational settings.  Her experience includes working as Associate Director of Nature’s Classroom Inc. where she developed standards-aligned environmental education curriculum, coordinated with schools across the New England region, and served on the board of directors for the Massachusetts Environmental Education Society.  As a classroom teacher, Beth taught fourth, fifth, and sixth grade where she continued to share her passion for the natural world with her students. She received her doctorate degree in Curriculum and Instruction from George Washington University in 2023.  Her research examines evidence of global thinking in student discourse about socioscientific issues. Beth earned her Master of Science in Ecological Teaching and Learning in 2011 from Lesley University and Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theater from the University of Detroit-Mercy.

202-633-3003

ThibodeauxK@si.edu

Khadijah Thibodeaux is a Science Curriculum Developer in the SSEC’s Curriculum, Digital Media and Communications division. Khadijah joined the SSEC in 2023 to support the development of Smithsonian Science for Global Goals community research and action guides. Before joining the SSEC, Khadijah was a middle school science teacher serving historically underrepresented and under resourced students. Her role in the classroom ignited her passion for creating engaging, accessible, and inclusive science learning experiences for educational transformation. Khadijah has a Master’s Degree in Education from Southern Methodist University concentrated in Urban Education, where she focused extensively on Universally Designed Learning, Asset Based Pedagogies, and Culturally Responsive Teaching. She also has earned a Bachelors degree in Molecular Biology from Pomona College. 

202-633-2965

WaldmanA@si.edu

Ariel Waldman is a Program Assistant in the Professional Services Division assisting primarily with a $4.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education “Smithsonian Science for North and South Carolina Classrooms”. Prior to joining SSEC, Ariel designed and implemented programs at museums, including the International Spy Museum and National Museum of the United States Army, where she served as a member of the grand opening staff. She is passionate about finding creative solutions to modern problems, accessibility, and education as a means for social change. Ariel earned her MAT in Museum Education and BA in Sociology and American Studies from The George Washington University.

WerlingerLR@si.edu

Logan is the Marketing & Communications Manager at Smithsonian Science Education Center. He joined in 2022 following his role in digital strategy and communications with Columbia World Projects at Columbia University. Prior to his work in digital communications, Logan was awarded a Fulbright Arts Grant to the Czech Republic and was a visiting researcher at the Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts (FAMU) in Prague. He studied at the Documentary Center at George Washington University in Washington D.C., and worked as a multimedia producer at The George Washington University. He began his career as a photojournalist in the Midwest and Northeast. He holds a master's degree in photography and visual communication from Ohio University and a bachelor's degree in mass communication and documentary journalism from Minnesota State University Moorhead. 

WilliamsR3@si.edu

Raymond Williams is the Publishing Assistant for SSEC’s Curriculum, Digital Media, & Communications Division. Prior to SSEC, Raymond held administrative positions at American Public Health Association and Management Concepts. He received his bachelor's degree in Mass Communications, Print-Online Journalism from Virginia Commonwealth University. In his spare time, he enjoys traveling, writing, exploring new restaurants, and spending time with family and friends.

WilliamsSM2@si.edu

Sherrell Williams is the Program Manager for Diversity, Equity, Accessibility and Inclusion (DEAI) within the Professional Services Division of the Smithsonian Science Education Center.  Sherrell manages the SSEC’s  programs that support educators in identifying, and removing, barriers that discourage students, with diverse backgrounds and experiences, from pursuing pathways to STEM education and STEM careers.  In this role, she is able to support the work of educators to connect and create lasting impact in their school communities, and education systems. Prior to joining the Smithsonian, she managed school-based family programs at Turning the Page, where she fostered relationship-building between school staff and families to increase meaningful family engagement in Washington, DC public schools.  Her work in continuing conversations around DEAI stems from a teaching career, where she successfully led as a mentor teacher and implemented schoolwide initiatives to address lack of diversity in parent involvement.  Sherrell earned a BS in Health Management from Norfolk State University and a M.Ed. in Education Policy and Leadership from American University.