Virtual Science Teachers

Our Team

Suzanne Sprague
Founder, CEO

Virtual Science Teachers (VST) is a collaboration of science teachers, science experts, and professionals in education, technology, product development, governance, and outreach. Together, we create interactive lessons and graphing tools that give students opportunities to analyze data, think scientifically, and build lasting science skills.

We partner with school districts and organizations that share our mission to support the critical work of science teachers. By doing so, we help today’s students gain the scientific literacy they need for their lives and communities while also preparing the next generation of scientists and engineers who will tackle the world’s greatest challenges.

Board of Directors

Dr. Williams
Dr. Enyinne Williams
Board Chair
Robin Herod
 Treasurer
Gerardo Zuniga Guerra, Secretary
Gerardo Zuniga Guerra
 Secretary
Dr. Ashoori, Board Member
Dr. Mayram Ashoori
Board Member
Dr. Michael Murtagh, Board Member
Dr. Michael Murtagh
 Board Member
Todd Tribble, board member
Todd Tribble
Board Member

VST Academic Review Board

Liz Lowe
Liz Lowe
Middle School Science Teacher
read bio
Michael Kendzora
Michael Kendzora, M.S.Ed
Science Education
Program Specialist
read bio
Colleen Flanagan
Colleen Flanagan
HIgh School
Chemistry Teacher
Tricia Thompson
Tricia Thompson
Environmental Content
Expert
read bio

Team Members

Nicole Aguasvivas
Nicole Aguasvivas
Spanish Translator
STEM Educator
read bio
Donna Falk
Donna Falk
Instructional Design
Expert
read bio
Tre'Mont Finley
Tre'Mont Finley
College Intern
Rubén Perea Leyva
Rubén Perea Leyva
Spanish Translator
STEM Educator
read bio
Irene Margitich
Irene Margitich
Content Creation
Biology Subject Matter Expert
read bio
Elise Zoss
Elise Doss
College Intern
Grace Altamura
Grace Altamura
Marketing and Outreach
Specialist
Suzanne Sprague
Suzanne Sprague
Founder and
Executive Director
Suzanne Sprague, drawing from her experience as a physics teacher, established Virtual Science Teachers.  This non-profit organization focuses on making high-quality online and hands-on STEM experiences freely available and accessible to everyone. Suzanne is deeply passionate about STEM education because of its transformative impact on individuals and communities. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Robin Herod
Robin Herson
Treasurer
Robin is a senior accounting and finance management executive with over 18 years of strategic, operating, and technical accounting experience. He is the Managing Member of Herod CPA PLLC, a local public accounting firm he founded in 2020.  His practice focuses on providing audit and assurance, tax and advisory services to technology startups and professional services firms. 
Prior to founding his practice, Robin has held several senior finance leadership roles at other technology companies including serving as one of the primary members of the IPO team for an advertising technology company, establishing the finance function at an early-stage cybersecurity startup, and advising senior finance leadership at a public fashion ecommerce company on technical accounting matters and public company reporting obligations.  
He is a Certified Public Accountant in New York and a member of both the AICPA and NY State Society of CPAs.
Gerardo Zuniga Guerra
Gerardo Zuniga Guerra
Secretary
 
Gerardo Zúñiga Guerra is an experienced leader in healthcare technology. As a PMO and Operational Excellence Director in Medtronic, he takes pride in engineering simple and effective program management solutions and increasing business process excellence capabilities for the Quality organization. In addition to his primary job responsibilities, Gerardo is an active member of the Hispanic Latino Network and is managing a collaborative program with Medtronic and the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) that is aiming to remove barriers for Hispanic students studying STEM through internships and mentoring opportunities.
 
Gerardo lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota with his wife Jessica and their son Marcelo. He holds a BS in Electronics and Communications Engineering from the Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León and an MBA from the University of Minnesota.

Dr. Maryam Ashoori
Board Member
 
Maryam Ashoori is director of product management for IBM Data, AI and Automation. She has more than 15 years’ experience developing data-driven technologies that drive demand and delight customers, building and working with diverse research, design, product and development teams. Before joining IBM, Dr. Ashoori was head of engineering at Lyft Bikes and Scooters Operations, and prior to that she spent six years at IBM Research designing experiences for emerging technologies in AI and Quantum.
Dr. Michael Murtagh
Board Member
Dr. Michael Murtagh most recently served as Chief Technology Officer – Industrial at Stanley Black & Decker, with global leadership for the Engineering, Digital Technology, and Innovation functions within the company’s Industrial businesses, including Stanley Engineered Fastening, CAM Aerospace, Stanley Infrastructure, and Digital Services. He was responsible for developing and deploying the strategic roadmap and innovative customer solutions to improve vitality, mitigate enterprise risk, and drive business growth across the platform. Prior to Stanley Black & Decker, Michael was at Carpenter Technology, where he served as President of the $1.8B Specialty Alloy Operations business unit, and was responsible for the manufacturing, commercial, supply chain, engineering, and technology functions.

Michael has previously served as Chief Technology Officer for Carpenter Technology, Alkegen, and James Hardie Building Products, and has held a variety of technology/IT, operations, and commercial leadership roles throughout his 20+ year career. He holds 14 patents and contributes an extensive working knowledge of the Automotive/E Mobility, Energy, Aerospace, Specialty Materials, and Telecommunications sectors. Michael also has extensive Board of Directors experience, and currently serves on the Boards for the Edison Welding Institute and Rutgers University (College of Engineering).
His academic credentials include a PhD in Material Science and Engineering from Rutgers University, and an MBA in Finance from Syracuse University. He also completed the executive leadership program at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business.

Todd Tribble, board member
Todd Tribble
Board Member
Todd has been in the Higher Ed/K12 tech space for the last 15 years and has served in various executive roles in operations, sales, implementation, and support.  He currently is the SVP of North America for the student engagement company, Gecko and runs the revenue operations for them in the US.  His passion has always been working in the technology space with products that look to further the education of youth and the adult learner.  He is very excited about working with Virtual Science Teachers and helping them bring their inspirational mission to students and teachers across the country.

Liz Lowe

Elizabeth Lowe is an experienced middle school educator with over 28 years of dedicated service in Chesapeake Public Schools. Currently, Elizabeth serves as a Middle School Science Teacher and grade level liaison for technology and LMS support. She specializes in integrating technology and problem-based learning to foster critical thinking, research, and analytical skills among students. Elizabeth has her Masters in Science Education and is a Modern Classroom Project-trained and Gifted Endorsed teacher.


Passionate about curriculum development, Elizabeth has created and revamped science curricula aligned with Virginia’s 5 C’s and the 5E instructional model, incorporating differentiated strategies to meet the diverse needs of special education and gifted students. Additionally, she has coached and mentored provisional and student teachers, helping them develop effective classroom management and lesson design skills.


Beyond classroom instruction, Elizabeth has contributed to STEM and gifted curriculum development, citywide benchmark testing, and virtual e-learning across multiple subjects. A proactive grant writer, she has secured funding to enhance science laboratory resources, enriching hands-on learning experiences for students.


Prior to working in education, Elizabeth gained valuable leadership and organizational experience working in the corporate world as a Corporate Trainer, Supervisor, and Department Manager, where she managed large teams, developed training programs, and honed communication and problem-solving skills.

Michael Kendzora
Michael Kendzora, M.S.Ed., serves as a Program Specialist for Middle School Science, drawing on over 15 years of broad educational experience to design engaging and effective learning opportunities. His foundation includes nine years of classroom instruction in 6th grade science, 7th grade life science, and 8th grade physical science, along with four years dedicated to STEM-focused teaching. For the past three years, he has concentrated on program development, working to ensure high-quality science experiences for both students and educators.
Tricia Thompson
 
Tricia Thompson is a non-formal environmental educator and, most recently, the Youth Resilience Coordinator for the Elizabeth River Project in Norfolk, Virginia.  She graduated from George Mason University in 2011 with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and enjoyed studying marine and freshwater ecology as an undergraduate.  This enthusiasm led to a passion for estuarine science and the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.  Combined with a love for sharing knowledge, she soon found herself teaching stream ecology in Northern Virginia and discovered a love of teaching youth about the ecosystems surrounding them.  Over the years, she has provided non-formal watershed education experiences to thousands of school students throughout Virginia.  
 
Passionate about the advancement of the field of environmental education, Tricia is seeking official certification as an Environmental Educator via the recently accredited program offered by the Virginia Association for Environmental Education.  She is also pursuing a Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information Systems from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia.  She hopes to utilize these new skills to build and advance future environmental programming. 
 
Nicole Aguasvivas
Nicole Aguasvivas is a passionate 7th and 8th grade bilingual science teacher dedicated to supporting her students’ academic and linguistic development. She creatively incorporates hands-on experiments, interactive projects, and real-world connections into her lessons. Nicole enjoys teaching in both Spanish and English, helping students master scientific concepts in their home language while easing their transition to learning a new language. She is committed to creating an inclusive and engaging classroom environment where every student feels valued and inspired to explore the wonders of science.
Passionate about the advancement of the field of environmental education, Tricia is seeking official certification as an Environmental Educator via the recently accredited program offered by the Virginia Association for Environmental Education.  She is also pursuing a Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information Systems from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia.  She hopes to utilize these new skills to build and advance future environmental programming.
Donna Falk

Donna Falk’s professional journey has been quite diverse, transitioning from her role as a Scientist to becoming a dedicated Middle School Science Teacher and now Instructional Design Expert. Holding a degree in Microbiology from Rutgers University, she initially worked as a scientist, testing orange juice from tanker ships, developing preservatives for various materials, writing technical documents, and contributing to Rutgers University’s Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences.

When her children reached middle school, Donna pursued her science teaching certification. With more than 17 years of experience in teaching middle school science, she spent the first 14 years designing and instructing a unique course called Forensic Science. This innovative class linked scientific concepts to crime-solving techniques, engaging every 8th-grade student — over 600 students annually. Through this extensive teaching exposure, she honed her ability to tailor lessons to diverse learning levels and situations.

When the pandemic emerged, Donna volunteered to instruct the core 8th grade science curriculum in a fully virtual setting. This undertaking required her to grasp new subject matter and seamlessly adapt it into digital lessons. Despite the challenges, she found immense satisfaction in devising hands-on lab activities that students could perform using minimal supplies, from the comfort of their homes.

Donna states that her motivation for becoming a middle school science teacher stemmed from her desire to help students in this age group who might approach science with trepidation. Her greatest joy lies in winning over these hesitant students and demonstrating that science is not only enjoyable and captivating, but also relevant and interconnected with their daily lives.

Residing by the sea in Belmar, NJ, Donna shares her home with her husband, Jon, and their mini labradoodle, Ruby.

Rubén Perea Leyva

Rubén Perea Leyva is a physics professor at Colegio de Bachilleres del Estado de Veracruz (COBAEV): Plantel 50 in the port of Veracruz, Mexico. He is mechanical electrical engineering and a master’s degree in

“Communication Sciences and Education”. Since 1995, he has been teaching physics and mathematics.

His teaching approach is based on experimentation and the creation of didactic, experimental, and technologically applicable prototypes. Over the years, he has advised students who have won national prizes in the National Physics Apparatus and Experiments Competition. He is a co-author of the Physics 1 book and the author of the Physics 2 book for COBAEV.

Since January 2021, he has been collaborating with the PhET project at the University of Colorado Boulder as a learning activity designer for physics. 

In 2022, he was selected as a PhET Fellow along with 15 Fellows in Africa and 17 Fellows in Latin America who are exemplary educators committed to increasing the accessibility and impact of PhET simulations.

Irene Margitich

 Irene Margitich graduated from the University of Hawaii with a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology. Next stop was Caltech where she spent 5 years working as a research assistant for Dr. N. Davidson, a National Medal of Science Awardee.

 

The University of Miami (UM) welcomed her as she continued her research in multiple fields….Genetics, Cell Biology and Neuroscience at The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis.

In 2007, Irene accepted a position with Dr. J. Hare in The Stem Cell Research Institute at UM.  The labs were focused on translational cardiology and stem cell biology. Here, she was responsible for coordinating all aspects of running the lab. Irene provided technical and administrative guidance and support to the physicians, postdocs and students in the lab. 

As a researcher, Irene continued to do experiments to understand the biology of cardiac stem cells in vitro. Each year, as Director of the Stem Cell Summer Volunteer program she had the opportunity to introduce undergraduate students into hands on research.

Irene retired from the University in May of 2020.  Retirement has provided the opportunity to study oil painting, read historical fiction, plant a butterfly garden and think about science for the joy of doing so.