Search Results

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!!!”).

Kathy D. Wright, EMBA, M.Ed. Director of Educator Experiences Kathy is a 26 year veteran educator of Cincinnati Public Schools where she served as a science educator, program facilitator, instructional coach and administrator. Kathy now works as an education, culture and leadership consultant and works with organizations to develop innovative practices that lead to extraordinary outcomes. Kathy is also the former Division Director of Multicultural/Equity in Science Education for the National Science Teachers Association Kathy has Bachelor degrees in Biology and Secondary Science Education, an Executive MBA from Howard University, and a Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction Secondary Science Education from the University of Cincinnati. Email: kwright@pastfoundation.org

Kayla Galloway Research Field Manager Kayla Galloway joined PAST in 2014 as a member of the PAST’s Research team. Since that time, Kayla has contributed to major research projects evaluating Ohio STEM education programs as well as program implementation in multiple states. Kayla has applied her ethnographic skills in creative ways, developing her work to focus on analysis and graphic presentation of evaluation data. She has contributed to dozens of evaluation reports during her career at the PAST Foundation. In addition to her work with the research team, Kayla is the Onsite Event Coordinator for Innovation1003 , a social enterprise of the PAST Foundation. In this work Kayla is part of a team that provides event services for the PAST Innovation Lab, offering an exciting inspirational center for diverse community groups including those working to build public/private partnerships in STEM education involving educators, private industry, as well as PAST program partners. She also enjoys collaborating with her fellow colleagues to plan and execute internal events, such as PAST’s annual fundraiser. When not at PAST, Kayla can be found pursuing her passion for the outdoors, kayaking and hiking Ohio waterways and trails, and is active in canvasing events for local and national elections. Kayla received her B.A in Anthropology with a focus in Archaeology and Cultural Anthropology from The Ohio State University in 2015. Email: kgalloway@pastfoundation.org | LinkedIN: @Kayla Galloway

Nikki Stancampiano Director of Workforce Development & Columbus EcosySTEM Nikki joined PAST in 2021, excited to collaborate with an innovative community of educators dedicated to designing meaningful, real-world learning opportunities for youth. She began her educator journey through Teach For America South Carolina, where she taught high school Mathematics and Engineering and discovered her passion for helping students—especially those underrepresented in STEM—unlock their full potential. She later earned her Master’s in Education, further deepening her commitment to educational equity. Nikki also spent a year teaching Engineering and Math at Metro Early College High School in Columbus, Ohio. Throughout her time in the classroom and working with schools, she has coached FIRST Robotics teams and launched the “STEMinists Program,” introducing hundreds of middle school girls in the community to STEM pathways. Driven by a commitment to equity and global understanding, Nikki served in the Peace Corps in Namibia, where she taught Mathematics and English, trained volunteers and educators, helped establish a school library, and actively participated in the Gender Awareness in Namibia committee to support equity-focused initiatives. Now serving as the Director of Workforce Development and Columbus EcosySTEM at PAST, Nikki draws on her diverse experiences to tackle educational and workplace inequities. She is committed to equipping students with the skills, confidence, and opportunities they need to pursue fulfilling and impactful careers.

Kelleigh Huey STEM Experience Instructor Kelleigh Huey is a Student Experience Instructor at the PAST Foundation and known as the Academic Alchemist! Kelleigh started her work with PAST in 2022 as a Summer Experience Instructor. Throughout her education, Kelleigh found she had an interest and a passion for innovation and a love for all things STEM. This, combined with her love of kids and learning, led her to the PAST Foundation, where she sought to make a difference in STEM education. In her position, she hopes to spread her passion for STEM topics and be an inspiration and a role-model for the young people she leads. In her free time, Kelleigh enjoys gardening and learning more about agriculture and caring for the environment, crafting, and spending time with her friends and family. Some of her favorite activities include painting, making blankets, playing with her dogs, and watching movies. Kelleigh pursued her love of STEM in her college studies and received a B.S. in Biology with a minor in chemistry. She attained her degree from The Ohio State University in 2022 and plans to continue learning in the future by pursuing a Master’s Degree in Environmental Science.

Steve Martindale, CPA Chief Financial Officer Steve is an accomplished executive with a solid history of success in financial leadership roles in insurance, financial services, non-profit and other environments. He has developed significant expertise in enterprise risk management, corporate governance, financial analysis and reporting, external and internal audits, project management and regulatory affairs. He has accomplished this through serving as CFO for publicly traded and privately held companies, as Chief Financial Analyst and Chief Regulatory Officer for the Ohio Department of Insurance, Vice President of Corporate Governance for a publicly traded company, and as a Big-4 audit manager. In these roles he gained experience in developing and executing programs and initiatives that improve operational efficiencies, and became well-versed in working with investors, analysts, board directors, executive management, government leaders, regulators, reinsurers, brokers, attorneys, actuaries, information technology professionals, rating agencies, vendors, banks, agents, and staff. Steve’s financial and management competencies include team building and leadership, staff training and development, cost analysis and reduction, strategic planning and analysis, profit and revenue optimization, process improvements, SEC reporting, financial modeling, mergers and acquisitions, debt and convertible note financing, regulatory compliance, program and project management, and cash flow optimization. Successful projects he has led include accelerating internal monthly financial reporting from the 12th working day to the 4th working day, reducing overtime by 40% and payroll costs by 10% through optimizing scheduling for an ambulance company, and doubling investment income without increasing risk through the selection of a new external investment manager. In addition, he led initiatives that resulted in reducing required capital for a property insurance company by $5 million through the development of a captive reinsurance program, and reducing the catastrophe reinsurance costs for a property insurance company by $15 million through the development of a zip-code specific targeted quota share reinsurance program. Steve holds a BA in Accounting and Business Administration from Otterbein University in Westerville, Ohio. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Ohio Society of CPAs and has been a presenter for Insurance Accounting and Systems Association, E&Y Insurance Roundtable, and Federal Reserve Bank educational seminars. Steve is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in the State of Ohio. He also serves as a board director for Heritage Insurance Holdings, Inc. and as an advisory board member for SmartInsure. Email: smartindale@pastfoundation.org

Marcy Raymond Strategy Officer Marcy brings decades of experience and expertise in STEM education and teaching and learning. Marcy has worked with PAST for nearly 12 years first as principal of the Metro Early College High School and in later years as an advisor, partner, and training colleague. We are excited to have Marcy’s expertise and insight.