About CSTA Ohio

Shanti’ Coaston is a Computer Science educator at Westlake High School. Her previous school was Shaw High School in East Cleveland, where she taught for 11 years. She began her teaching career as an Intervention Specialist and the Alternative School Program. Working with exceptional students has assisted her in the transition of teaching Computer Science to all students. Before teaching, Ms. Coaston was a School-Based Therapist and a Youth Career Coach. Working with youth in these capacities, Shanti’ realized that she could do even more for youth as a teacher. 

 

She is the Co-Advisor of the Shaw High School Computer Science Honor Society, Girls Who Code Facilitator, ESports Co-Advisor, CSTA Ohio Member, and was on the 2017 Ohio Computer Science Curriculum Standards Writing Team. Her many awards include East Cleveland Teacher of the Year 2019, Ohio Lottery Teacher of the Month for March 2020, Certification Magazine wrote an article about her in June 2020, Cyber Hero of the Month (July 2020), and the Martha Holden Jennings Master Teacher Award 2021. She has also been a Co-Lead Mentor for new educators to the school district. Ms. Coaston recently ended her term as a member of the Computer Science Teachers Association Board of Directors as the 9-12 Representative.

 

Ms. Coaston has provided professional development training on technology integration and social-emotional learning at the local, district, and state level. As well as a culturally responsive teaching and recruitment of Students of Color in Computer Science on the national level. Shanti’ recently earned her Remote Pilot License (Commercial Drones) and now teaches exam prep to students and adults.

Carla Neely is an award-winning 5th-8th grade science and computer science teacher. She is an advocate for urban education and exposing African American girls to different aspects of science and computer science. Carla is also a Code.org facilitator for the Computer Science Discoveries program and a member of the inaugural 2021 micro:bit Champions Cohort. She trains and speaks at events geared toward helping teachers with best practices for motivating African American girls into the sciences. Carla feels that is important for girls to have the opportunity to use their own creativity and individuality in science and computer science. She is the 2022 Ohio Department of Education District 11 Teacher and one of the four finalists for Ohio’s 2022 Teacher of the Year. Carla is the interim secretary for CSTA-OH and a member of CSTA’s Editorial Board. Carla was a CSTA Equity Fellow and most recently was a member of the Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Program (2023-2023) in the office of Senator Jacky Rosen of Nevada. 

Rebecca Odom-Bartel (Becky) is an assistant professor in the College of Education and Public Affairs, Teacher Education department. Her research focuses on Computer Science Education. She is a graduate of the University of Alabama and has spent the last eight years working to advance computer science education in k-12 and college level settings.  Her experience is both in college classrooms and secondary education classrooms teaching programming, web-design, CS methods, and robotics. Becky's research is tied closely to her passion for CS education and has worked on multiple NSF CS4ALL and DOE EIR grants focusing on building pathways for pre-service and in-service teachers to become confident and strong CS teachers. Additionally, Becky works closely with several organizations and educational institutions to assist in the development of equitable and inclusive methods of teaching and sharing CS curriculum to high school and college students.

Mrs. Rachael Z. Ayers serves as the Innovation Specialist at the ESC of Eastern Ohio, where she advocates for the integration of technology to enhance student achievement in K-12 classrooms. She collaborates with teachers, administrators, and students to support computer science, STEM education, and the effective use of various educational technologies. Rachael has been sharing her enthusiasm for math and computer science with her students for nineteen years, having taught Pre-Algebra, Algebra I, Algebra Lab, AVID, and Project Lead The Way Computer Science classes. She has also volunteered as a mentor for Code Club and Girls Who Code. Additionally, she is a T3 Regional Instructor and a Raspberry Pi Certified Educator.

Amanda O'Mara teaches Innovation and Design coursework covering artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, Internet of Things, and other computer science topics at West Clermont Middle School in Southwestern Ohio. They previously worked with the Ohio Cyber Range Institute at the University of Cincinnati as the Cyber Training Program Coordinator with the Ohio Persistent Cyber Improvement program, which aims to provide tailored cybersecurity training to all local governments in the state of Ohio. Amanda also worked with the Microsoft TEALS Program as the Regional Manager for the state of Ohio, expanding computer science offerings in Cleveland and Cincinnati area high schools and advocating for equitable access to CS coursework for historically marginalized students. They were one of the contributors to the 2022 Ohio Computer Science Learning Standards with a focus on artificial intelligence at the middle school level. Amanda holds a dual master's degree in Instructional Technology (MEd) and School Librarianship (MLIS) and a Bachelor of Art in Crafts that they use to infuse hands-on project-based learning and the arts into everything they teach.