Samantha has an MAt in Education, specializing in Museum and Non-Profit based learning. She has two decades of experience in educational programming, outreach, and the arts and is a dedicated teacher and learner. In addition to writing and blogging about feminism, parenting, art technology, education reform, and homeschooling for major publications such as GeekMom, she educates her three children at home. Samantha has started many grassroots groups and is an active member of the hacker/maker and homeschooling communities. Samantha has been a speaker and advocate for Curiosity Hacked, Ace Monster Toys and Mothership Hackermoms at the Maker Faire and Mini Maker Faire 2012 and 2013 events.

Garratt is a roboticist. His maker journey started in college, when he built his first robot to follow light. Since then, Garratt has earned degrees in Physics, Electrical Engineering and Robotics, and built many robots along the way. He has enabled robots to load dishwashers, sort boxes, and navigate autonomously. Garratt worked at robotics facilities like iRobot and the MIT robotics lab. He is currently building educational and commercial robotics platforms out of his garage in Oakland.

Shoshana started making things as a child in her father's workshop and just never stopped. She attended a technical arts high school in San Francisco (lwhs.org) and has taken arts courses all over the Bay Area. Over the years she's built furniture, jewelry, welded sculpture, glass, handmade books, clothing, arduino-based toys, wooden boxes, and large-scale compute systems. Between art projects she acquired a college degree in English and a career in computer engineering. For Curiosity Hacked, Shoshana likes to plan projects that blend handmade crafts with science or electronics, ideally allowing kids to design and build something they can use in everyday life. Shoshana has an 11-year-old son who likes math, science, and video games.

Mariano, a fourth generation photographer and lifelong maker, spent a good portion of his life traveling and living abroad, including a teaching stint in Tokyo, Japan. Along with his wife Keri and toddler son Mateo, Mariano returned to his hometown of Las Vegas, New Mexico to pursue his MA in Media Arts and Technology at New Mexico Highlands University. In merging his love of photography with interactive multimedia, Mariano was introduced to a new and exciting approach to his craft, one that would define the path of his graduate studies. His newfound passion would lay the foundation for his establishment of the Parachute Factory Makerspace, a prolific outlet for creativity and technology in the community of Las Vegas.Parachute Factory and Curiosity Hacked Guild 005 have established “Lil” Las Vegas, New Mexico as a legitimate maker’s community. He enjoys spending his free time with his wife and son, as well as modifying mopeds, and of course, tinkering with and hacking electronics.

Chris has several decades of tech and building experience, and describes himself as a Geek and avid DIYer. He also enjoys doing projects with his three children, who already define themselves as Makers.

Binka is the Education Director for Maker Media, overseeing educational publications, outreach, and programming. Before joining the Maker Faire crew, she worked at the Exploratorium’s Center for Museum Partnerships and MIT Media Lab’s Lifelong Kindergarten group (also advised by Mitchel Resnick, and coincidentally occupying the very chair that Amon Millner, below, later took all the way to a doctorate!) Her work at MIT built on previous research at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, as a long-time mentor in the Intel Computer Clubhouse Network, and as a curriculum designer for various publishers and educational researchers. She holds an MS from MIT, an EdM from Harvard and a BA in Art from Yale. When she’s not supporting future makers, including her two young sons, Binka does some making of her own, most often as a visual artist.

Amon Millner is  a Visiting Assistant Professor of Computing Innovation at the Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering in Needham, MA. He directs the EASE Lab, which investigates Empowerment through Art, Science, and Engineering. Amon also holds an appointment as a Visiting Scientist at the MIT Media Lab, where he received his Ph.D. from the Lifelong Kindergarten Research Group and is the Learning Lead at Modkit, a startup he co-founded with Ed Baafi and Collin Reisdorf.

Jaymes Dec is the Fab Lab Integrator at the Marymount School of New York. He has a Masters degree from the Interactive Telecommunications Program at NYU where he has been an Assistant Adjunct Professor. Jaymes is also a partner in theHTINKtechnology education co-operative and a founder of the NYC Makery, a pop-up community makerspace for families in New York City. He was named a Teacher of the Future by the National Association of Independent Schools. Jaymes is also the founder of City Hunt, a special events company based in New York City.

Tony Wagner is the first Innovation Education Fellow at the Technology & Entrepreneurship Center at Harvard. Prior to this, he was the founder and co-director of the Change Leadership Group at the Harvard Graduate School of Education for more than a decade.  His previous work experience includes twelve years as a high school teacher, K-8 principal, university professor in teacher education, and founding executive director of Educators for Social Responsibility. A prominent author, his work includes numerous articles and five books. Tony’s latest, Creating Innovators: The Making of Young People Who Will Change The World, was recently published by Simon & Schuster to rave reviews and has been translated into six languages. His 2008 book, The Global Achievement Gap has been an international best seller and has also been translated into several languages. Tony has also recently collaborated with noted filmmaker Robert Compton to create a 60 minute documentary, “The Finland Phenomenon: Inside The World’s Most Surprising School System.” Tony earned an M.A.T. and an Ed.D. at the Harvard University Graduate School of Education.