Learning Technologies Staff

Current LTC Staff

Keith Braafladt is the Director and LTC Instructor. A graduate of the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, Keith leads classes and workshops at the museum, in schools and in local and national libraries. He works with a team of creative staff who develop, design and integrate science content and learning into workshops, classes and online media that combine science, art and technology.
keithb at smm.org
(651) 221-2536

Janet Groenert is the Science and Technology Programs Manager and LTC Instructor. She has developed and taught youth classes integrating art and science. She is an artist who works with familiar materials in unusual contexts, participating in the Art Shanty Project for three winters. Janet is currently learning about electronics and programming. She has a BFA from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design.

Dan Haeg is an LTC Fellow & Instructor. He is a former Youth Crew Manager working with the Invention Crew in the Kitty Andersen Youth Science Center.

Peter Kirschmann is a LTC Program Specialist, a Youth Crew Manager working with the Cell Lab Crew in the Kitty Andersen Youth Science Center and LTC Instructor. He has a BA in Media & Cultural Studies and American Studies from Macalester College. He is interested in independent media production, and finding new ways to tell stories and build community through media.
pkirschmann at smm.org
(651) 221-4526

Kristen Murray is a Learning Technologies Fellow and LTC Instructor. She has a degree in electrical engineering from Rice University. She has taught and coordinated classes in Learning Technologies at the museum for several years. She also works at a school and in an after-school program, helping students do creative projects that combine technology, art, engineering and storytelling. She plays in a gamelan ensemble in her spare time.

Sabrina Sutliff-Gross is the Senior Education Coordinator & Instructor. She coordinates and teaches workshops for youth that integrate technology and art in Learning Technologies. She also plans and implements learning opportunities for adults including the NISE Net fora, adult classes, and workshops. She earned her B.F.A. in drawing, with a focus in scientific illustration, and her master's of education in art at the University of Minnesota.

Asia Ward is LTC Program Specialist and LTC Instructor. She prototypes and develops hands-on activities for all ages, which are then tested in the classroom and on the exhibit floor. Her work as an artist ranges from animatronic creatures to large-scale metal sculptures.
award at smm.org
(651) 221-4513

Current Instructors

Daniel Adamson is a student in mechanical engineering at the University of Minnesota. He comes to teaching with experience in 3D and electromechanical design, is ASE certified in auto repair and a performance rally driver. Dan's hobbies include mountain biking and playing percussion instruments.

Pat Dougherty is a writer and musician. He received his B.A. from McNally Smith College of Music. Working primarily with the Second-Hand Opera Artist Collective, Dougherty's music has been sold internationally, and his writings can be seen frequently on the City Pages music blog, Gimme Noise.

Grace Gbolo

Mandy Hathaway is a freelance photographer, lifelong lover of technology, human rights advocate, and busy mother of two. In addition to teaching classes for The Science Museum, she works full-time as a technology center manager and employment coordinator at the Oak Park Community Center in North Minneapolis. She and her fiancé live in Saint Paul where she enjoys taking photographs, fixing computers and other electronics, gardening, hiking and travel. She is always working to find ways to continue to merge her passions for technology and helping individuals-in-need achieve their life goals.

Mardis Johnson is pursuing early childhood education at Rasmussen college. He is well versed in the programming languages of Microworlds, Scratch, and 3D Design. He has been teaching at the museum since 2000.

Julia Kouneski is an artist with a bachelor of fine arts degree from the University of Minnesota. Her work has most recently been exhibited at the Minnesota Museum of American Art in St. Paul, the Art Shanty projects on Medicine Lake, and at the Soap Factory in Minneapolis. She is a recipient of a 2009 State Arts Board Grant. In the past, she has taught with St. Paul Community Education, as well as holding independent classes out of her Minneapolis studio.

Sarah Meier is a technology specialist at a K-8 school in the Twin Cities. She is a licensed teacher with a master's degree in education. Sarah is very excited to be a part of the Science Museum teaching team and can't wait to be amazed by the creativity and talent of her camp participants.

Kelley Meister completed an MFA in video, performance, and installation from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design in 2008. A performance artist, Kelley is currently a Jerome Foundation Naked Stages residency grant recipient. Kelley explored painting and printmaking extensively when completing her bachelor's of fine arts. She works in a variety of electronic media and programming, such as animation, web design, and sound design. Kelley is a teaching artist in the Twin Cities' schools.

Ryan Ouradnik earned a degree in computer animation from Academy College and studied filmmaking at Minneapolis Community and Technical College. Ryan is a teacher for Mad Science of Minnesota leading after school science around Minnesota. When he is not teaching he writes and is involved in the Twin Cities theatre scene.

Karen Randallhas been an elementary school teacher since 1983. She is currently a content coach in the St. Paul schools. Her interests include thematic instruction and technology integration. Karen's hobbies include growing fruits and vegetables and tending a bee hive.

Leah Ritz was born and raised in the corn fields of Iowa. She graduated from Macalester College with degrees in geography and environmental studies. She is an arts and crafts enthusiast and currently enjoys creating engineering and design projects with youth on the Design Team at the Science Museum and the Tronix Team in south Minneapolis.

Spencer Ruskin is a huge nerd, and also a web and interactive developer at Blue Earth Interactive. He graduated from the Minneapolis College of Art & Design with a BS in Visualization, and has been teaching with the LTC for three years. In his free time, Spencer dabbles in making comics and designing games. He has been using computers since he was a toddler, and loves exploring the incredible possibilities of modern technology with others.

Will Schar is a local freelance artist and designer with a strong grasp of visual narratives. He applied these skills as a key storyboard artist for the Independent film "Regular Joe" and hopes to someday make a career of using those skills to author and illustrate a series of graphic novels for kids and adults. When not drawing or teaching for the Science Museum he is fighting, crime and chilling out with his friends, trying to enjoy the post-college life while listening to a lot of "Avenue Q."

Anne Schuerger has a BS in electrical engineering and computer science from way back in 1982. She worked with some of the early programmable logic controllers for factory automation and now delights in sharing their amazing descendants—like Scratch—with kids. She has co-founded two Montessori schools in the area and loves to create new materials for classrooms. When not making things, she can be found with her husband at yoga or walking their dog in the woods.

Ben Severns is a senior fine arts studio student at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. He works primarily in photography, sculpture and sound. His work is influenced by his childhood as the son of a mechanical engineer. He has taught photography and graphic design at the Carver-Scott Educational Cooperative.

Justin Spencer is a tinkerer, fascinated with the natural world and limitless capacity of human creativity. He received a degree in physics from the University of Minnesota, where he has also studied science education. He also works for the Bakken Museum engaging students in shocking science activities. In his spare time he enjoys taking pictures, riding his bicycle, and learning new skills, especially related to circuits and robotics.

Andy Stone is a sophomore at the University of Minnesota studying mechanical engineering. He has. Spent his summers doing research in the field of electrical engineering and as a counselor at Camp TEKO. For fun Andy likes to go skiing, canoeing, sailing and most other things outdoors. He also enjoy building robots out of legos.

Oanh Vu is a youth worker and an artist with a BA in Studio Art from the College of St. Benedict. For two years Oanh was an Assistant Youth Crew Manager for the Invention Crew in the Kitty Andersen Youth Science Center at the Science Museum of Minnesota. When not working Oanh can be found making movies or overly complicated paper mache costumes.

Deidre Webster has a degree in fine art from the College of Saint Catherine. She has taught classes in Learning Technologies at the museum for two summers. She is also an after-school program teacher working with pre-school and kindergarten aged students. In her spare time Deidre enjoys playing cards and boardgames, crafts, and bringing her dog to the park.

Ashley Wokash is the owner of a textile design and clothing company, Calpurnia Peach, in N.E. Minneapolis.

Learning Technologies Alumni

Morgan L'Argent

Kristen Poppleton

Natalie Rusk

Maddy Alexeeva

Roger Barrett

Mithra Beikmohamadi

Kimberly Bennet (Meirose)

Megan Blazek graduated from the University of Minnesota-Duluth with a B.S. in secondary biology education and an Educational Computing and Technology Certificate. She has taught in New Zealand and is a high school life science teacher.

Cindee Calton

Kate Goddard

Meg Goetz

Dayna Hashemi

Kim Higgens

Megan Hemmila

Teresa Hung

Bryan Kennedy

Chee Kue Lee

Oliver Liu is currently working towards a bachelor's degree in Environmental Studies, Oliver has been with the Science of Museum of Minnesota since 2001. He has also had much experience with various computer programming languages including: HTML, Actionscript, LOGO, Javascript and others.

Amanda Luker

Joel Miles

Khris McDonald

Mensah Naana

Mike Petrich

Margaret Pezalla-Grandlund

Kasey Pierson

Molly Reisman

Natalie Rusk

Joshua Seaver

Bruce Shapiro is an M.D. and an artist. He has been an artist-in-residence for the museum from 2001 to 2004, and has had his kinetic sculptures installed nationally and internationally. He created the "Pipedream" bubble sculpture in the museum's lobby and has worked with the Youth Science Center and Learning Technologies programs at the museum.

Martin Staehnke

Megan Storm

Anna Thiede

Todd Townley

Chris Thompson

Heather Wells

Adam Wiens

Karen Wilkinson