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Paige Shalter Bruening, Ph.D Senior Consultant Dr. Paige Shalter Bruening has a Ph.D. in Educational Policy and Leadership, with specializations in Educational Psychology and Teacher Education, from The Ohio State University. She began her career as a middle school teacher and taught in schools in Columbus, OH and Columbia, SC. She later moved to Capital University where she was an Associate Professor and taught Educational Psychology, Developing as an Educator and Social Studies methods courses. She supervised student teachers, was the Assessment and Accreditation Coordinator for the Education Department and served as the Chair of the College Faculty. She left Capital to become a school liaison at Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s Big Lots Behavioral Health Pavilion and eventually led the Hospital School Program there. She worked with the hospital, families and schools to assist children who had been admitted to easily and effectively re-enter the educational system after hospitalization and conducted professional development with local school district counselors on the importance of collaboration between the hospital and schools. Paige began consulting work for The PAST Foundation in November 2025 and has been instrumental in grant writing, professional development, the creation of Microschools and developing industry partnerships. In her spare time, Paige enjoys cooking, reading, crocheting and doing any sort of puzzle. Email: pshalterbruening@pastfoundation.org

Javier Cruz-Ginez Multimedia Coordinator Javier is a fourth-year at The Ohio State University majoring in Moving-Image Production and the Digital Storyteller at The PAST Foundation. Also known as the Digital Auteur at The PAST Foundation, Javier uses his skills in digital media to share PAST mission and vision with the world. Javier enjoys watching films, music, and photography in his free time. Outside of PAST, Javier, with his friend's help, created “Demise Creative ” to foster creative collaboration and promote local artists of different forms, emphasizing social justice. Demise Creative is a creative collective that uses film to document and highlight artists creating a difference in the Columbus, Ohio community. Expected to graduate in 2025, Javier plans to use his knowledge of film and experience at PAST to continue to impact his community through the digital arts. Email: jcruz@pastfoundation.org | Website: https://jcgfilms.com/

Brianna Agomessou STEM Innovation Lead I am the new Portable Innovation Labs coordinator. I graduated from The Ohio State University with a Bachelors in Criminology with a minor in Forensic Anthropology. I have a passion for education and working with people. I'm passionate about inspiring young minds and fostering a love for learning. I have plenty of experience working with students and educators. I have an eye for detail and believe in putting the best version of myself forward everyday. My goal is to reach the hearts and minds of the people I interact with each and every day. My hobbies include cooking, dancing, and learning about the world around me. Email: bagomessou@pastfoundation.org

Sam Kula STEM Coordinator Sam Kula is a STEM coordinator at The PAST Foundation. He worked at PAST in 2017 and 2018 helping run the Innovators Club and Summer programs while finishing his degree. Sam has spent time post-graduation working with suspended and expelled students at the YMCA’s Juvenile Justice Program as well as writing and delivering philanthropy-focused curriculum for See Kids Dream before returning to PAST to work with Portable Innovation Labs and The Ready Rangers Program. He chose to return to PAST because he values the lasting impact their programs and educators have on students. Sam has a BA in Child & Youth Studies and a minor in Mathematics from Ohio State University. Sam’s hobbies include tabletop games, disc golf, and food.

Maria Green Cohen, M.A., J.D. Impact Officer Maria Green Cohen, The Reporter, is the Impact Officer at the PAST Foundation. In 2007, Maria joined the PAST Foundation as a member of the ethnographic research team conducting PAST’s first STEM program study of the Metro Early College High School, and went on to lead multiple research projects and contributed to more than sixty PAST Foundation publications. On the Leadership Team, Maria oversees compliance with the PAST project management process and procedures, as well as managing project reporting for PAST. In her role as Impact Officer, Cohen tracks proposals, contracts, project implementation and reporting. She is responsible for quality control and quality assurance for delivered services. Over the course of her work with PAST, Maria has held both administrative and research positions. With her commitment to equity in education and a love of spreadsheets, Maria has transitioned from her role of providing STEM program evaluation to overseeing project administration for PAST. Her training as an ethnographer, and experience as an attorney and editor, helped hone the communication and organizational skills essential to her role as Impact Officer for PAST. Mentoring has been a highlight for Cohen during her time at PAST, where she has had the opportunity to recruit and train college and graduate student interns to apply their education to hands-on qualitative and quantitative research, meeting PAST’s mission of linking learning to life . When not at PAST, Maria is an avid reader, Scrabble player, world traveler, and dedicated lap-swimmer. A graduate of Oberlin College, Maria received her M.A. in Folklore from the Folklore Institute at Indiana University and a J.D. from Indiana University. Email: mgreencohen@pastfoundation.org

Alyssa Reder Director of OSLN Central OH STEM Hub Alyssa first joined PAST in 2014 as an Administrative Assistant to STEM Programming and Research. In 2021, her role shifted to STEM Program Coordinator where she coordinated, created, and collaborated within all areas of PAST, including work with students, educators and industry. Continuing with her work, Alyssa is now the Director of Project Management at the PAST Foundation. Prior to her start at PAST, Alyssa worked in Administrative and Educational Research Field work at the Crane Center for Early Childhood Research & Policy at the Ohio State University. After receiving her Bachelor’s Degree in Middle Childhood Education, Alyssa decided to pursue the world of educational research. This is where she found her true passion for the transformation of education for administrators, teachers, and students. Alyssa’s work at Ohio State fueled her desire to continue working within the field of development and improvement of educational practices across all grades and subjects. Alyssa received her B.A. in Middle Childhood Education from The Ohio State University. She received her teaching license through Ashland University’s Bachelor’s Plus Program. Email : areder@pastfoundation.org | LinkedIN : @Alyssa Reder

Annalies Corbin, Ph.D. Founder & CEO Dr. Annalies Corbin is the Chief Goddess and CEO the PAST Foundation. In 2000, Dr. Corbin founded the PAST Foundation, an organization she envisioned could lead the way to connecting scientific research with classrooms, schools and communities. From 2000-2006, Annalies concurrently led the PAST Foundation and taught at East Carolina University’s Program in Maritime Studies. In 2005, when PAST opened its headquarters in Columbus, Annalies turned all efforts to building the PAST Foundation, assembling a team that could grow the reach and mission of linking learning to life . From a single school partnership in 2006, Annalies has grown PAST’s supporters across the nation, building a reputation for both transforming teaching and learning by understanding tomorrow’s education needs. In 2015, Annalies’ commitment to transforming schools led to the development of PAST Innovation Lab. Connecting directly with teachers through online professional development courses, MAEd program and on-site workshops, PAST Innovation Lab impacts more classrooms and expands learning opportunities for teachers and students everywhere. In 23 years, PAST has impacted more than 2,300,000 students, over 20,000 teachers across 42 states, hosting nearly 20,000 visitors and building hundreds of partnerships. In 2019, Annalies and PAST launched Learning Unboxed. This podcast series highlights industry experts and students talking about the changing needs in the world of teaching, learning and the future of work. Rather than trying to fix a system that is working exactly as it was designed, this series challenges listeners to join the conversation of how we “unbox” education and create innovative solutions to better meet workforce needs. Follow Annalies on social media to join the conversation. Learn more about Annalies Corbin. Annalies Corbin PAST Foundation President & CEO - Chief Goddess 1003 Kinnear Road, Columbus, OH 43212 Email: annalies@pastfoundation.org Twitter: @Annalies.Corbin LinkedIn: Annalies.Corbin #thisispast #learningunboxed

Annalise Williams Administrative Assistant & HR Representative Annalise serves as the Administrative Assistant and HR Representative with the PAST Foundation. Her love for education and passion for people led her to join PAST in 2024. Annalise uses her skills in organization, efficiency, and communication to keep things running behind the scenes. She earned her degree in Theatre and Public Speaking Education in 2021 and has been working in different educational capacities ever since. She is very excited to be a part of the PAST team. When she’s not in the office, Annalise enjoys drinking coffee with friends, baking delicious treats, and curling up with a good book.

Lisa Swartzwelder President & Chief Operating Officer Lisa Swartzwelder is the President and Chief Operating Officer of PAST - Pilot of Progress. With a strong foundation in aviation and business, Lisa holds a Bachelor of Arts in Aviation Human Factors from The Ohio State University, where she also earned her Private Pilot certification, as well as a Master of Business Administration from Franklin University. With over thirty years of operations experience in the business aviation industry, Lisa has developed and implemented innovative programs while leading high-performing teams. Her expertise lies in mitigating organizational risk through strategic training, policy development, and fostering a compassionate work culture. Notably, she pioneered the first human service response (Care Team) and mental health first aid programs for FAA Part 91 operations. Her leadership and contributions have earned her recognition through awards from the National Business Aviation Association and the Family Assistance Education and Research Foundation. Lisa is an active advocate for transforming education, intern and mentorships. As an industry partner to PAST, she co-led the creation of Girls Soar , a program designed to introduce Columbus Public middle school girls to aviation through hands-on design challenges. She has also volunteered with PAST's after-school program and served on the PAST Board of Trustees before joining this amazing tribe.

Cassie Davis Research Assistant Cassie earned a Bachelor of Science in Medical Anthropology from The Ohio State University in 2022 and joined the PAST Foundation’s Research team in 2023, as a Research Assistant. She has a passion for using anthropology as a foundation for research that creates beneficial impacts in our community. Cassie has previous research experience through her thesis work at The Ohio State University, as well as a research intern here at the PAST Foundation and archaeology fieldwork experience in the Midwest and Poland. As the Fact Forager, she uses her skills to collect, analyze, and report on data, contributing to our communal knowledge of STEM programming and identity. She is honored to be a part of PAST’s mission of expanding innovative approaches to STEM education. In her free time, Cassie enjoys being active, spending time outside, and seeking out new experiences through travel.

Andrew Bruening, Ph.D. Chief Innovation Officer Dr. Andrew Bruening is the Program Innovations Officer at PAST and a founding faculty member of Metro Early College High School. Andy brings extensive experience teaching high school science and engineering courses to PAST. He also coaches Metro’s FIRST Robotics team 3324 The Metrobots and brings a wide range of rapid prototyping skills to PAST. He is also the operational director of the Center of Robotics Innovation (CORI) at PAST. Andy Bruening received a Ph.D. in geology from the University of South Carolina in 2007 and a BS in marine science from Eckerd College in 1994. He was recognized as the Ohio FRC Mentor of the year for 2013 and as the 2014 FRC Queen City Regional Woody Flowers Mentor of the Year. Email: abruening@pastfoundation.org

Lane Fargher Navarro, Ph.D. Director of Research Dr. Lane Fargher Navarro joined the PAST Foundation in 2023 as Director of Research. He comes to PAST after a successful career in academia. Lane received a PhD in anthropology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2004 and completed a postdoc in historical anthropology at Purdue University from 2004 to 2005. He worked as an adjunct instructor at various colleges and universities from 2005-2010, and from 2010-2023 he was a researcher in the Department of Human Ecology at Cinvestav del IPN, in Merida, Mexico. Fargher Navarro’s research experience includes archaeological and historical ecological investigations in Oaxaca, Tlaxcala, and Yucatan, Mexico, as well as SW Ohio; ethnographic and ethnoecological research in Yucatan and Quintana Roo, Mexico; and environmental health and biogeochemistry in Yucatan, Mexico. This research has been funded by the National Science Foundation, National Geographic, FAMSI, Inc., Mexico’s National Council of Science and Technology (Conacyt), and Mexico’s Secretaries of Education and Health. Lane has authored or coauthored a large number of research articles in journals such as Current Anthropology, Journal of Archaeological Science, Frontiers in Political Science, Journal of Anthropological Archaeology , and various book chapters, as well as two books, including Collective Action in the Formation of Premodern States . He is also a member of the Mexican Academy of Sciences. Lane is passionate about promoting an understanding of collective action and its role in good government. Accordingly, he believes that high quality STEM education that cross-cuts social sectors and is available to citizens regardless of geographic origin, gender, sex, ethnicity, and race is fundamental to the maintenance of democracy, individual well-being, and social development. In his free time, Lane enjoys traveling to exotic locals with his fiancée Liliana, spending time with his daughter, Sofía Lillie, bicycling in Columbus’ parks, and playing golf and watching reruns of Seinfeld with his pal Rob (“Serenity Now!!!”).