Raghad Algogandi 

(Public Health, ‘21) is working on the PLAYground team by making creative, hands-on learning exercise educational videos for K-12 Deaf students, and working on the Arabic translations.

Maria Baklund

(Mechanical Engineer, Peace Engineering Minor, '21) is involved with the OK Go Sandbox team, was the Project Lead for the international Art in Space project, and is working in collaboration with the Minnesota Children’s Museum, as well as helping with general laboratory organizational projects.

Abby Bensen

(English, Communication and Journalism, ’21) is working as the lead editor for Playful Learning Lab projects. 

taylor casey

kelly cassidy

(Psychology Major, Entrepreneurship Minor, '21) is working on Marketing and Social Media for the lab. She loves discovering new and innovative ways to encourage play and learning.

Caitlin Cretton 

(Mechanical Engineering, ‘22) is a member of the Playful Learning Lab bringing her knowledge and skills to the PLAYground and assisting with the development and teaching of undergraduate engineering design classes.

Rachel Farah

(Computer Engineering, ‘21) is working on the Code & Chords Education and Minnesota Children’s Museum teams. Here she utilizes her laboratory experience and love of teaching STEM by building and designing interactive tech in collaboration with Lab partners.

Emilia Fredrickson

(Digital Media Arts, Spanish, '20) is a graphic designer at the Lab who specializes in solving problems through visual design.

Mikyla Harjamaki 

(Mechanical Engineering, Mathematics Minor, '21) is the Lab operations manager and project lead for the OK Go Sandbox team.

song johansen

Cullen Kittams

(Computer Science, Math Minor, '21) is a member of the Code + Chords team. He is passionate about finding new applications for technology and solving problems.

Becca Leininger

(5-8 General Science and 9-12 Life Science Education, ’22) participates in several Playful Learning Lab projects, including STEPS, playful STEAM for Deaf students, and Educator Playdates. 

Kirsten leonardi

Carli Lund

(Elementary Education, Spanish, '23) is a member of the education team at the Playful Learning Lab. She enjoys finding new ways to educate and learn through play.

Zane Lundsgaard

(Mechanical Engineering, '22) is part of the OK Go Sandbox team and the Minnesota Children's Museum engineering design team.

Grace Kubista

(Civil Engineering, ‘21) is the Project Manager for the Code + Chords team. She enjoys exploring ways that STEM intersects with creative passions and finding ways to inspire new generations of engineers.

Julia lindell

(Electrical Engineering, Physics, Operations and Supply Chain Management, '23) is working on Minnesota Children's Museum projects and exploring her love for designing and problem solving.

Mina McMillan 

(Communication and Journalism - Creative Multimedia, Music Industry, ‘20) is working on the design team at the Lab. She focuses on writing OK Go Sandbox newsletters for students and educators and creates new social media content for the lab. 

Emma Monson

(Elementary Education, STEM Education Co-Major, '22) is the project lead for playful STEAM for Deaf students and is also a member of the Code + Chords team. She is working on integrating STEAM concepts into education through the Lab.

Vanesa Montes de oca Correa

(Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Peace Engineering, '23) is working on several Playful Learning Lab projects including playful STEAM for Deaf students and OK Go Sandbox.

Annalisa Petrangelo

(Accounting, Catholic Studies, ‘22) is working as the Playful Learning Lab's accountant.

Elise Rodich

(Mechanical Engineering, Materials Minor, ’22) is a peer mentor for Engineering Graphics and Design and participates in several Playful Learning Lab projects, including STEPS.

makayla quinn

PATRICK ROCHE

(Electrical Engineering, Computer Science Minor ’22) is the lab magician, project lead for Circus Science, and is a member of the Code + Chords team and OK Go Sandbox team.

Krista Schumacher 

(Elementary Education Major, STEM Education Co-Major, '21) is the Playful Learning Lab education lead and the lead for the Minnesota Children's Museum project. She enjoys researching learning through play.

 Thomas Sucher

(Mechanical Engineering, ‘23) is working on the PLAYground team to bring playful LEGO learning experiences to K-12 Deaf students.

Sara Thibault

(Communication and Journalism - Creative Multimedia, '20) is working as the Playful Learning Lab design lead.

Emily Tuchtenhagen

(Mechanical Engineering, ’23) is excited to teach and help others learn through play.

christina yang

VERDIS WEBB IV

(Creative Writing, ‘20) is a member of the Playful Learning Lab, striving to be a comic book writer. 

Nicole Koen

Nicole has been an educator for over twenty years and has found her role as the Makerspace Coordinator at Mounds Park Academy, a PreK-12 school in St. Paul, to be rewarding and instrumental in giving youth the power to make and facilitate change in our world. She uses Design Thinking and other engineering processes to fuel strategies while addressing real problems.

Jenna Laleman

(Elementary Education and STEM, Psychology Minor '18) is working on projects (including our STEPS program) focusing on developing lessons that encourage hands-on, fun ways for students to engage in engineering activities.

Caroline Little

A graduate of NASA's inaugural Microgravity University for Educators, Caroline teaches middle-school science and engineering. She spent the first part of her educator journey teaching French and moderating an engineering co-curricular, the Experimental Vehicle Team. She strives to inspire students to SEE themselves as Scientists, Engineers, and Explorers of the world around them.

Cindy Nordstrom

A 5th grade teacher and school board member, Cindy loves integrating Design Thinking into curricula, offering students the tools to solve real-life problems in a collaborative way.