Your Board & Advisors
It's important you know who the current leadership is, what each Officer's purview of responsibilities is, and how YOU can contribute in a greater capacity with us. With that in mind please feel free to browse the following to see who represents you and who you can contact if you need something!
Chapter President
Brief: The Chapter President is responsible for determining the direction of the chapter during their tenure.
Full Job Description found here.
John Tusch
John Tusch is proud to be a public school educator for over 30 years. He serves as the Theme Coach for the CREC Academy of Computer Science and Engineering, a computer science-themed Magnet school in Enfield, CT. Before joining CREC, he taught Computer Science and English in Hartford, where he was honored to be Global Communications Academy’s Teacher of the Year in 2020. He has served in various administrative roles on the building and district levels. In addition to Computer Science, John has taught Music, English, the Gifted & Talented, and Theater Arts.
John has a B. Mus in Music Education from Boston University, an MS in Music Education from WCSU, and a 6th-year Professional Degree in Educational Leadership from SCSU. He is certified in Technology Education, Intermediate Administration, English, and Music. He is grateful to have developed new programs and curriculums in Computer Science, English, Theater Arts, and Music for several Connecticut districts, including Weston, Hartford, and CREC.
An experienced entrepreneur, John was the founding owner/operator of Steve DeMasco’s Shaolin Studios of Fairfield. He owns Fanfare Enterprises LLC, a digital marketing firm where he enjoys helping fellow entrepreneurs establish their digital presence. He is an avid baseball fan (Let’s Go Mets) and an unapologetic Trekkie, and he lives just outside of Hartford with his daughter, Heather.
Chapter Vice President
Brief: The Chapter Vice President is responsible for supporting the initiatives of the Chapter President
Full Job Description found here.
Shawn Draczynski Tobin
Shawn is a chemistry, biology, and computer science teacher at Wamogo Regional High School in Region 6. She has taught all ages in different environments from urban, rural, suburban, public, and charter schools, along with tutoring up through professional degree preparation programs. While she is a trained biologist, her passion for computer science comes from the essential nature of the subject, and a drive to make a daunting task accessible via relevancy and deconstruction of the task. With her current position as Chapter President, Shawn hopes to encourage rural computer science education and build out elementary education pathways. She earned her B.S. in Molecular and Cellular Biology and her double B.A. in Political Science and Sociology from the University of Connecticut, and her M.S.Ed. in Elementary Education from the University of Pennsylvania.
Chapter Secretary
Secretary Brief: The Chapter Secretary is responsible for documenting meeting activities and composing communications to membership.
Full Job Description found here.
Dana Runkle
Dana Runkle is a self proclaimed geek, nerd, and all around brainiac. Her first experience with Computer Science was being a beta tester for Adobe’s PageMaker software - back when you still had to boot DOS from a floppy disk. She earned a Masters in Education from UCONN and her undergraduate degree is a BA in Theatre Technology from UC Davis. She has been teaching Computer Science to grades 5-8 in Westbrook for the last 8 years and this year added AP CSP in the high school. Her goal is to see every child receive high quality computer science education that helps increase diversity, equity, and inclusion both in education and in the professional realm. She firmly believes that the world is changing and Computer Science is essential to give students the skills necessary to be successful in every possible career field.
Chapter Treasurer
Brief: The Treasurer is responsible for managing the Chapter finances.
Full Job Description found here.
Jackie Corricelli
Jacqueline Corricelli has been a public school educator since Fall 2003. She works for West Hartford Public Schools as a PreK-12 CS Curriculum Specialist. She also teaches AP Computer Science Principles and AP Computer Science A at Conard High School. Prior to this, she taught at East Windsor High School. This is a second career for Jackie who worked for three years for Raytheon as a Radar Systems Engineer.
Jackie has a B.A. in math and statistics from the University of Connecticut and a M.S. in mathematics secondary education from Westfield State University. She is a certified secondary mathematics and computer science teacher.
At the state level, Jackie is a member of the Department of Education CS Advisory Group. Nationally, she is a consultant and table leader for AP CS Principles. In the 2021-22 school year, she will be the 9-12 CSTA Curriculum Review Chair. She is a PAEMST Awardee and a CSTA/ACM CS Teaching Excellence Awardee. In addition, she served as Co-PI for the CT ECEP Landscape Study.
Advisors & Representatives
Chapter Librarian
Librarian Brief: The Chapter Librarian is responsible for the archival and organization of chapter events, members, and the comings and goings of Computer Science without our State.
Full Job Description found here upon review.
Bradley Kjell
Bradley Kjell has a Ph.D. in computer science from University of Wisconsin and a B.A. in physics from University of Illinois. He has worked in software development at several companies in the Chicago area and is presently a computer science professor at Central Connecticut State University. He grades AP CS and has a web site that supports CS education.
Grade Band Advisors
Elementary School Grade Band Advisor
Open for you!
Brief: This person is responsible for advocating for the success of their respective grade band & moderating their respective grade band Group here on the CT CSTA website!
Full Job Description found here.
Middle School Grade Band Advisor
Brief: This person is responsible for advocating for the success of their respective grade band & moderating their respective grade band Group here on the CT CSTA website!
Full Job Description found here.
Dana Kinel
An interdisciplinary educator, Dana has a B.S. in Music Education from Central Connecticut State University and a M.A. in Educational Technology from the University of Connecticut. She is certified in PreK-12 music, library media and career & technology education. She taught in East Hartford Public Schools for 14 years and currently teaches STEAM courses at Smith Middle School in Glastonbury. Dana is passionate about designing creative, high-quality CS experiences for all students.
High School Grade Band Advisor
Brief: This person is responsible for advocating for the success of their respective grade band & moderating their respective grade band Group here on the CT CSTA website!
Full Job Description found here.
Berni Lally
Berni is a Computer science, engineering, and design teacher and robotics coach. Berni’s passion is teaching students how to design, build, and program. She’s helped students send robots into space and track them using radio communications and satellites. Berni earned her B.S. in Information Systems from Florida Atlantic University, her M.S. in Technology in Education from Trinity College, Dublin, and her M.S. in Education Leadership from St. Mary's University, Twickenham, London. Berni loves to play soccer, volleyball, and Irish music on the tin whistle and bodhran.
Higher Education Advisor
Brief: This person is responsible for advocating for the success of their respective grade band & moderating their respective grade band Group here on the CT CSTA website!
Full Job Description found here.
Dr. Winnie Yu has been a faculty member of SCSU Computer Science Department since 1985. She served as Computer Science Department Chairperson from 1998 to 2010. Dr. Yu coordinated the initial ABET accreditation of the undergraduate General Computer Science program and, under her tenure as Chair, obtained state approval of SCSU’s first graduate Computer Science program. Dr. Yu served as Director of SCSU Office of STEM Innovation and Leadership from 2016-2019.
Dr. Yu is an advocate for computer science education in CT. She testified at the CT State Capitol Education Committee in support of the Senate Bill 957 to include computer science instruction in the public school curriculum. The Bill was passed into law as Public Act 19-128. Dr. Yu works closely with CT Department of Education CS Advisory Group, CT CSTA and other statewide agencies to coordinate events in support of this mission. As campus representative for NCWIT and participant in several Google Educational Initiatives, Dr. Yu is committed to broadening female and minority participation in science and in computing.
She is the NCWIT SCSU Pacesetters project lead (two consecutive terms), contributor in CSEngageEdu, participant in Learning Circles Program, and Extended Services Program. She is a member of the NCWIT CT Aspirations in Computing Affiliate Team and a NCWIT Academic Alliance member and serves on a number of their review committees.. Dr. Yu was elected as National Center for Science and Civic Engagement SENCER Leadership Fellow in 2013 and has been serving as Co-Director of SENCER Center for Innovation New England (SCI-NE).
Non-Grade Band Advisor Positions
Social Media Advisor
Brief: This person is responsible for managing the social media presence for the CT CSTA. This includes using Twitter, Facebook, and elements of the CTCSTA website to promote chapter initiatives including promotion of meetings, recruitment, and networking.
Full Job Description found here. (once adopted)
Dana Kinel
Brief: This person is responsible acting as a liaison between the Connecticut Department of Education and the Connecticut chapter of the CSTA.
Full Job Description found here (when approved by Board).
Note: This position is an appointed position associated with the State Department of Education representative for Computer Science and is not an electable position.