Chalk and Code

In this episode of Chalk and Code, host Jill Foley speaks with Dora Palfi, Co-Founder and CEO of imagi Education, about rethinking coding and AI education for the next generation. Dora shares how imagi began as a Kickstarter-backed programmable wearable designed to inspire girls to code and has grown into an AI-powered learning platform that helps students build creativity, confidence, and respons...

In this episode of Chalk and Code, host Jill Foley speaks with Allie Fuchs, Vice President of Product at Pathful, about how technology can bridge the gap between classroom learning and the real world of work. Drawing on her experience as a former physics and algebra teacher and special education administrator in New Orleans, and later as a product leader at companies like Nearpod and Clever. Allie...

In this episode of Chalk and Code, host Theron Davis sits down with Gilberto Pinzon, CEO and co-founder of Edu1st, to explore what it really means to transform a classroom into a thinking culture. A former surgeon turned education leader, Gilberto shares the story behind the VESS model (Vida, Equilibrio, Sentido, y Sabiduria) and why he and his co-founder, Ana Maria Fernandez, set out to redesign...

In this episode of Chalk and Code, host Jennilee Bertrand sits down with Jamie Forrest, Co-Founder and CTO of CourseMojo, to explore what it takes to build responsible AI for real classrooms. Jamie shares how his background in AI engineering at Apple (Siri), his early experience teaching in Harlem, and the realities of COVID learning for his own kids shaped a clear philosophy: technology should su...

In this episode of Chalk and Code , host Theron Davis, sits down with Joe Cotter, Founder in Residence at Teaching Channel, to explore what it really takes to support teachers in a changing education landscape. A former middle school social studies teacher, Joe shares how his frustration with traditional continuing education led to the creation of Learners Edge, which grew into the largest direct-...

In this episode of Chalk and Code, host Theron Davis sits down with Christopher Psiaki , Chief Technology Officer of Topia Interactive , to explore how spatial media and real-time communication can make online learning feel more human Topia is a cloud-based spatial media platform where participants move through persistent, customizable worlds, and connect through proximity-based audio and video. C...

In this episode of Chalk and Code, host Jennilee Bertrand sits down with Leonard Lafrance, President and CEO of NCLab, a Nevada-based company rethinking online vocational education for data analysts, Python programmers, and automation technicians. At a time when most online courses struggle with single-digit completion rates, NCLab stands out with nearly 100% learner completion and graduates who a...

In this episode of Chalk and Code, host Jill Foley sits down with Kiera Peltz, Founder and CEO of The Coding School, to explore how happiness economics, equity, and emerging technology education are deeply connected. Kiera shares her journey from studying happiness at Brown to launching The Coding School from her college dorm room at 19, driven by a belief that access to technical skills is founda...

In this episode of Chalk and Code, host Theron Davis sits down with Dr. Nathan Thompson, Chief Executive Officer of Assessment Systems Corporation, to explore how assessment science is evolving in an era shaped by AI, adaptive testing, and increasing demands for integrity and personalization. Dr. Thompson explains what psychometrics really is, why it underpins high-quality assessment, and how comp...

In this episode of Chalk and Code, host Theron Davis sits down with Dr. Johannes Ziegler, CEO of Miaplaza, the company behind Miacademy, MiaPrep, and their accredited online high school. Johannes shares how a small social networking project evolved into a full learner-centered ecosystem for homeschoolers and online high school students. What began as kids’ “edutainment” grew into a mastery-based K...

In this episode of Chalk and Code, host Theron Davis sits down with Tyler Menezes, CEO of CodeDay, a nonprofit that creates welcoming, project-based experiences for underserved students to explore a future in technology through 24-hour coding events and open source–focused internships. Tyler shares his journey from Y Combinator–backed startup founder to nonprofit leader, and why CodeDay is obsesse...

In this episode of Chalk and Code, host Jennilee Bertrand talks with Nolan Frausto, CTO of AdaptedMind, about what it takes to scale a learning platform for millions of young children. Nolan shares why the team rebuilt their entire engineering system, how the “boring stack” philosophy drives reliability, and why early learning requires a careful balance between fun, pedagogy, and healthy screen ti...

In this episode of Chalk and Code, host Theron Davis sits down with Raj Valli, Founder and CEO of Thinkster Math, an AI-driven tutoring company that blends patented AI with human coaches to deliver measurable outcomes in math learning. Drawing on experience across 12 industries and decades of nonprofit work in education, Raj unpacks why so many students still struggle with foundational math and wh...

In this episode of Chalk and Code, Jennifer Huang, Founder and CEO at hihilulu, joins us to explore why so many young learners struggle with Mandarin — and what changes when instruction is redesigned around the true structure of the language. From character-first literacy to dualism pedagogy, Jennifer shares how hihilulu builds learning experiences that respect how children develop reading, writin...

In this episode of Chalk and Code, Steve Stookey, Vice President and CCO at CypherWorx, joins us to explore how purpose-driven professional development can transform the way organizations learn and lead. From training design to technology integration, Steve shares how CypherWorx builds learning experiences that adapt to each organization’s unique culture — whether it’s a school district, YMCA, fir...

In this episode of Chalk and Code, Dr. Gregory Gage, Neuroscientist, Inventor, TED Fellow, Keynote Speaker and Co-Founder and CEO at Backyard Brains, joins us to explore how neuroscience can move beyond the lab and into classrooms around the world. From recording real neural activity to building brain-machine interfaces, Dr. Gage shares how Backyard Brains is making complex science accessible, aff...

In this episode of Chalk and Code, host Jill Foley speaks with Scott Buell, Founder of Drone Legends, about bringing real-world drone applications into K-12 learning. From Mars exploration and medical delivery to precision agriculture and infrastructure inspection, Scott maps how drones are reshaping work and why early exposure matters. Scott shares the Drone Legends K-12 aviation pathway—from sto...

In this episode of Chalk and Code , host Theron Davis speaks with Matthew Baker, CEO of Tovuti LMS, about the past, present, and future of learning management systems. With over two decades in edtech, including leadership roles at Blackboard, Instructure, and CLASS Technologies. Matthew brings a rare perspective on how LMS platforms have evolved from CD-ROM installs to SaaS solutions that now serv...

In this episode of Chalk and Code , host Theron Davis sits down with Dr. Victor Winter , professor of computer science at the University of Nebraska Omaha and founder of BrickLayer. Bricklayer is a nonprofit educational platform that teaches coding, math, and computational thinking through art—using virtual bricks inspired by LEGO and Minecraft. From his early work at Sandia National Laboratories...

In this episode of Chalk and Code, host Theron Davis is joined by Benjamin Welbourn, CEO of Schola, a Phoenix-based edtech platform helping families find the schools that fit them best. What began as a startup helping parents navigate school options has evolved into a full ecosystem, streamlining enrollment, managing community programs, and even using AI to help schools build stronger relationship...

In this episode of Chalk and Cod e, host Theron Davis sits down with Dr. Joseph Guastalli-Atman, the philosopher-turned-founder behind Middle Tree, a nonprofit education center that’s redefining what supplemental learning can be. Dr. Atman shares his journey from academia into mission-driven entrepreneurship, reflecting on how his studies in consciousness and sacred theology led him to launch an o...

In this episode of Chalk and Code , host Jill chats with Mariam Nusrat , the visionary founder of Breshna.io, a no-code platform revolutionizing how video games are built, shared, and used. Think Canva meets Candy Crush , but with a mission. Before founding Breshna, Mariam spent 15 years at the World Bank as an education economist, advising countries on how to use tech for impact. Now, she's combi...

In this episode of Chalk and Code , host Jill Foley dives into the world of immersive education with Cheryl Bayer, CEO of Living Popups, a cutting-edge company blending storytelling, augmented reality, and curriculum to engage students like never before. From her background in Hollywood to co-founding an XR startup focused on K–12 education, Cheryl shares the fascinating journey of how entertainme...

In this episode of Chalk and Code, host Theron Davis welcomes Dr. Tim Wiens, a seasoned educator and President of the Academic Advisory Board at Classic Learning Test (CLT). With decades of experience in innovation in K–12 and higher education, Dr. Wiens shares how CLT is challenging the dominance of the SAT and ACT, not just with a different exam, but with an entirely different philosophy. At the...

In the premiere episode of Chalk and Code, host Theron Davis sits down with Doug Roberts, a former classroom teacher turned edtech entrepreneur, to explore the evolving relationship between public education and technology. As founder of the Institute for Education Innovation (IEI), Doug shares a candid look at what it takes to connect the dots between superintendents and tech innovators and why th...