About CSTA NJ
CSTA New Jersey President -
Michelle Wendt
For the past nine years, I have actively participated in CSTA and held various positions, including Vice-President, webmaster, and chapter secretary for the Southern New Jersey Chapter. Additionally, I dedicated two years to the Chapter Leadership Committee for CSTA. I am so excited to continue our work in New Jersey to connect and assist as many computer science teachers as we can.
During my involvement with CSTA in New Jersey, I successfully coordinated participants for the CSTASNJ annual programming contest for four years. Organizing two hackathons staffed by CSTASNJ volunteers was one of my volunteer highlights.
In addition to my roles within CSTA, I have also contributed to building and maintaining the membership of our advocacy group, CS4NJ. If you have any inquiries or need assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Paige Besthoff
CSTA New Jersey Treasurer
Lee Hayden
I teach computer science and robotics at Roxbury High School in Succasunna NJ and been active with the central and northern CSTA chapters of New Jersey since 2011, including serving as the president of the northern chapter between 2015 and 2020, and serving on the steering committee that resulted in the new consolidated chapter. As the lead FIRST Robotics coach at my high school between 2012 and 2019, I managed a $25,000+ budget each year, so I am experienced in managing the funding of a large education-based organization, and worked closely with a booster club with 501c3 status . After a school year that seemed to facilitate professional isolation at school, being able to collaborate with my fellow computer science educators outside of school hours was a professional lifeline for me throughout the pandemic, and I look forward to being a CSTA NJ team member in the coming years!
Bio
CSTA New Jersey Chapter Secretary
Maria Filipe
CSTA NJ Chaper Leader - Webmaster
Kimberly Curran Smith
I have over 25 years of experience teaching Computer Science. I teach K to 8 Computer Science & Design Thinking at Saint Raphael School in Hamilton, NJ. Besides teaching, one of my roles is acting as an Instructional Innovator to teachers for CS and STEM.
I have been a webmaster of the CSTANJ since 2017. I serve on the CSTANJ Steering committee and Co-Chair the K - 8 subcommittee. In 2022 I helped with the CSPDWeek Steering Committee. I serve on the CSTA National Committee for Reflective Teachers.I look forward to the opportunity to help teachers apply the CSTA Teachers Standards to their teaching tools.
CSTA New Jersey Chapter Leader - (Past President)
Ben Isecke
CSTA New Jersey Chapter Leader -
Anne Kohart
CSTA New Jersey Chapter Equity Fellow
Toni Dunlap
CSTA New Jersey Chapter K-8 Representative
Samantha Selikoff
CSTA New Jersey Chapter Higher Ed Representative -
Frances Trees
- 3X in 3 years award
- CS, In Collaboration with Rutgers Graduate School of Education, Awarded $4 Million USDOE Grant To Expand Participation in Computer Science-Focused STEM Education
- Fran Trees awarded two new grants.
- Fran Trees receives distinguished contributions to undergraduate education award
- Fran Trees receives Outstanding Performance in CS Education at a NJ Institution
- Prof. Trees, Nguyen and colleagues receive NSF CSforAll grant
CSTA New Jersey Chapter Leader -
Regina Nadbielny
CSTA 2021 Awards Video
Regina Nadbielny has been the STEAM Teacher for gifted and talented students from K-7 in Orange, NJ for the past ten years. In the fall she will be the middle school STEAM teacher in Long Hill Township.
In addition to teaching Regina presents virtual workshops to K-5 educators in NJ showing how she implements the NJ Student Learning Standards in Computer Science. Regina was awarded the Computer Science Teaching Excellence Award in 2021 and the NJAGC Teacher of the Year Award in 2019. She is currently one of three NJ finalists for the 2022 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.
Regina worked as a computer programmer on Wall Street for 11 years before starting a second career as a teacher. Regina is passionate about providing real-world CS activities starting in kindergarten. In addition to coding and robotics Regina arranges virtual field trips and brings in role models and experts that look like her students. Regina earned a National Geographic Educator Certification and taught her students to code and fly drones as part of a research project. She is an active member of the NJ CSTA and has presented at the national CSTA conference.