Program Manager, MakerUSA

Innovation Site: The Maker City

Melissa is a dedicated educator with over 25 years of experience, committed to providing opportunities that encourage creativity, collaboration, innovation, and growth. A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, she has spent her career advocating for excellence in education across all levels, from Pre-K to post-secondary classrooms. In June 2023, Melissa transitioned from teaching in the traditional classroom to join the team at MakerUSA. Bringing her love of music, audio engineering, and the arts with her, she combines her pedagogical and technical expertise with her passion for creativity and is excited to be working on expanding access to maker education, arts programming, and supporting other educators to inspire the next generation of creators.

From June 2023 to December 2024, Melissa played a pivotal role in establishing a state-of-the-art makerspace at the Tennessee College of Applied Technology Knoxville, providing students with hands-on learning experiences that explore the dynamic intersection of creativity, problem-solving, technology, and engineering. Currently, Melissa is excited to be working closely with The Maker City, the Knoxville Entrepreneur Center, and other local organizations to establish and cultivate vibrant opportunities for youth and young adult maker entrepreneurs in her community.

Co-Founder & Chief Innovation Officer, MakerUSA

Based in Ridgway, CO

Colin has led entrepreneurial efforts in the education equity field for over 12 years. His previous leadership experience includes serving as the Executive Director of Citizen Schools’ Makers + Mentors Network and having a founding leadership role in the initiative’s launch in 2013 in partnership with the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. During this time, he led a 30+ member team in the implementation of new models that more than doubled the scale of the initiative to support over 20 regional STEM and maker ecosystems, serving over 200,000 underrepresented youth. This includes creating employee engagement programs with Fortune 500 companies and leading the design and implementation of AmeriCorps Maker Fellows.

His volunteer leadership roles have included serving as a three-term president of the Ridgway Area Chamber of Commerce and an elected school-board official. Colin graduated from Ridgway High School, completed his undergraduate at the University of Colorado at Boulder and received a Master in Public Policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. Colin is a member of the San Juan Regional Leadership Committee and was recognized as one of 2022’s “Top 100 Entrepreneurs and Innovators” by Top 100 Magazine. He and his family still live in rural Colorado.

Co-Founder & CEO, MakerUSA

Based in Sacramento, CA

Stephanie has been a member of and an advocate for the Maker community for over 10 years. From 2014-2016, Stephanie served as the first Senior Advisor for Making at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, where she helped develop President Obama’s Nation of Makers initiative, to broaden access to the Maker Movement. Stephanie has helped grow 20+ local and regional ecosystems to support STEM and maker-centered learning across the U.S. through her previous role as Managing Director for Citizen Schools’ Makers + Mentors Network and has advised foundations on maker education, makerspaces and innovation. Stephanie has a Ph.D. in Information Science from Cornell University, where her research focused on the social impact of democratizing 3D printing. As a maker, Stephanie sews, experiments with 3D printing and enjoys making handmade toys for her young son. Steph was recognized as one of 2022’s “Top 100 Entrepreneurs and Innovators” by Top 100 Magazine.

Art & Design Consultant, MakerUSA

Based in San Francisco, CA

Michelle Zamora has been a leader in maker-centered learning since 2017. With a passion for interdisciplinary learning, Michelle helped spearhead the design and development of the first academic makerspace in Sacramento. With years of experience in marketing, visual design, project management and rapid prototyping, she is dedicated to creating authentic experiences that provide value and drive impact. Michelle is a gifted visual artist and storyteller pursuing postgraduate degrees in Business and Design from California College of the Arts. She is most focused and motivated to continue working to push the boundaries of maker-centered learning and advance equity and inclusion in education.

MakerUSA Program Manager (2024-2025) Atlanta

Jessica Johnson is a STEM advocate, researcher, and champion for diversity. With a solid foundation in agriculture, holding both a B.S. and M.S. in Animal Science from Tuskegee University and Iowa State University, respectively, Jessica's academic journey includes extensive research with livestock, a research fellowship at Kansas State University, and an internship with the National Park Service through the Greening Youth Foundation.

Discovering her passion for driving equity and representation in STEM fields, Jessica later transitioned to work focused on a broader vision in STEM strategy as a Researcher at STEMconnector. Her journey in this field has been marked by a profound commitment to fostering inclusion, working to bridge the diversity gap across all phases of STEM workforce development—from K-12 education to professional arenas. Jessica's work has been characterized by her reports, conference presentations, and webinars, all designed to foster community engagement, drive diversity, and establish robust partnerships in STEM. Beyond her professional endeavors, Jessica is an active volunteer at local Atlanta schools, and a passionate maker, enjoying a range of creative pursuits including sewing, building, and repurposing.

MakerUSA Program Manager (2023-2024) Western Slope of CO

Taylor Poynor is a lifelong learner who is deeply passionate about sharing the exciting world of STEM. Taylor obtained her B.S. in Environmental Engineering from Colorado School of Mines where she helped lead the local Engineers without Borders chapter and partook in undergraduate research focused on issues surrounding water in the West. After graduating Magna Cum Laude, she went into consulting engineering to design water and wastewater treatment facilities for rural Colorado communities. Frustrated by not being able to operate the valves and pumps she was specifying for designs, Taylor embarked on a new journey into wastewater operations where she finally had the opportunity to engage hands on with the equipment that seemed so abstract in her consulting days. Her career shift ultimately led to her managing four wastewater treatment facilities where she saw firsthand how difficult it was to recruit people with passion and enthusiasm into skilled trades. Through volunteering with local schools to create new STEM and “real-world” focused classes, Taylor grew increasingly excited by the world of education. This ultimately led to her exploring a path with MakerUSA as Program Manager where she feels she can best help address the talent gap by working with local communities to improve the STEM and maker experiences of students in her home of Southwestern Colorado.

During her 12-month contract working with the Innovation Site, Western Slope Schools Career Collaborative (WSCC), Taylor developed the Western Slope Career Pathways Toolkit, a career guidance resource designed to showcase diverse local career opportunities for young people, including through the skilled trades as well as emerging industries for the region. The goal is for the Toolkit to be shared with students across the region following their experiences in the Mobile Innovation Lab. Partners of Delta, Montrose and Ouray is one of the many local youth-serving organizations she worked with on designing the toolkit Upon completing her 12-month contract in May 2024, Taylor was offered a full-time role as a Program Manager with Partners of Delta, Montrose and Ouray. She continues to build upon the work she led as a MakerUSA Program Manager.