Jana Mohr Lone is PLATO's Executive Director and for many years was the Director of the University of Washington Center for Philosophy for Children, before its 2022 merger with PLATO. She is an Affiliate Associate Professor in philosophy at the University of Washington, and is the author of the books Seen and Not Heard (2021) and The Philosophical Child (2012); co-author of Philosophy in Education: Questioning and Dialogue in Schools (2016); co-editor of Philosophy and Education: Introducing Philosophy to Young People (2012); author of many articles about philosophy with young people; and author of a series of six picture books, What Would You Do? (2024), about moral issues facing children. Jana has been leading philosophy sessions with students from preschool to graduate school for more than 30 years. She has a Ph.D. in philosophy and a J.D. She lives on San Juan Island in Washington State.
https://phil.washington.edu/people/jana-mohr-lone/

Allison Cohen is an Advanced Placement U.S. Government and Philosophy teacher at Langley High School in McLean, VA. She also teaches AP Capstone Seminar and Research classes. Allison is dedicated to bringing quality philosophy curricula to high schools across the nation and expanding opportunities for students to engage in philosophical questioning and reasoning. She also serves on the board for Street Law, a national nonprofit committed to preserving and enhancing civics education in our schools. 
Allison's resume

Alexandra Chang is a middle school English teacher in Michigan. Previously, she taught for four years in Boston Public Schools. Alex studied philosophy and education at Carleton College, where she first began teaching philosophy in local schools. As a teacher, Alex continues to develop philosophy lesson plans for middle school students, as well as consider the intersection between philosophy, social-emotional learning, and restorative practices. Most recently, Alex has collaborated with A2Ethics in Ann Arbor to develop a workshop for local teachers interested in expanding the use of philosophy in their core classes.

Karen S. Emmerman has been working in philosophy for children since 2009. She has been the Philosopher-in-Residence at John Muir Elementary School since 2013, has taught numerous teacher trainings, and oversees PLATO’s Philosopher-in-Residence and Gerler Fellowship programs. Karen is an Affiliate Instructor in the philosophy department at the University of Washington and writes in ecofeminism, animal ethics, and philosophy for children as well as serving as senior associate editor of the journal Precollege Philosophy and Public Practice. Her book, Defending Animals, Disappointing People is forthcoming from Bloomsbury. 
karensemmerman.com

Stephen Kekoa Miller, Humanities Department chair at Oakwood Friends School and Adjunct Professor of Philosophy at Marist College, has taught philosophy for the past 20 years in Poughkeepsie NY. Stephen has developed a wide range of courses from middle school philosophy through upper-level college courses, and a philosophy series for parents and community members.  Stephen’s research interests lately have included pre-college philosophy, philosophy of education, virtue ethics and philosophy of emotion.  Stephen is also the Chair of the APA's Committee on Precollege Instruction in Philosophy.  Stephen served on the Teachers Advisory Council of the National Humanities Center. He is the editor of Intentional Disruptions (Vernon, 2021). 
Stephen’s Resume

Gopika is a sophomore at Wilton High School, Wilton CT. She is passionate about philosophy, and enjoys connecting this passion with her interests in history and classics. In school, she studies both ancient Greek and Latin, and participates in her school’s debate and mock trial clubs. In her free time, she loves to play the cello, sing, and read.

Mitchell Conway is a Facilitator at Cottonwood Agile Learning Center, a Community Philosopher at Merlin CCC, and a Philosophy Instructor at Carroll College. He is a student of philosophy, a theater maker, and a teacher who cares ardently about empowering young learners; his work often interweaves education, story, and inquiry. He has a Masters degree in Philosophy & Education from Teachers College, Columbia University, and he trained at the Institute for the Advanced of Philosophy for Children. In addition to serving on the Academic Advisory Committee for PLATO, he is also on the Editorial Board for the journal Questions.  

Paige Adzema is a master’s student in philosophy at the University of Colorado Boulder. She serves as the K-12 Facilitator for POPCO (the Philosophy Outreach Program of Colorado), developing and leading philosophy programs for K-12 students across Colorado's Front Range. Her research interests lie at the intersection of philosophy of education and epistemology, with a focus on children’s epistemic standing and agency. She is passionate about making philosophy accessible to all ages and is especially committed to helping young people recognize themselves as capable philosophical thinkers.

Andrew Liu is a high schooler at Phillips Andover originally from New Jersey. Andrew first learned philosophy from some books at his public library, and since then he has loved moral and political philosophy. At school he participates in ethics bowl, and out of school he works to teach philosophy to senior citizens. Away from philosophy, Andrew loves rowing and running, and he is also a passionate hockey fan. 

Melissa Diamond is a Ph.D. student in the University of Washington College of Education’s Social and Cultural Foundations program. She graduated from UW with a B.A. in philosophy and a B.S. in computer science in 2020 and earned an M.Ed. in Social and Cultural Foundations in 2023, also from UW. Her research is in the philosophy of education, with a focus on the ethics of education in the context of the global climate crisis. She also served as a Graduate Fellow with PLATO from 2021-2023. In her free time, Melissa loves to cook and bake, backpack, and dabble in various arts and crafts projects.

Laurie Grady has been teaching for over 20 years in the Philadelphia area and has been teaching at Haverford Senior High School in Havertown, PA since 2004. Some of the courses she teaches are Advanced Placement Language and Composition, English Language Arts, and electives such as Shakespeare, Creative Writing, and Literature & Philosophy. She is committed to the inclusion of critical and philosophical thinking and communication in all her courses. Laurie has served in leadership roles for both students and colleagues, most recently as a sponsor for her school's nationally winning HI-Q team and as chairperson on the Faculty Advisory Committee. She is passionate about communicating the potential of philosophical inquiry to other teachers and dedicated to exploring practical ways to expand P4C to more schools and homes. 
LinkedIn profile

Melissa Diamond is a Ph.D. student in the University of Washington College of Education’s Social and Cultural Foundations program. She graduated from UW with a B.A. in philosophy and a B.S. in computer science in 2020 and earned an M.Ed. in Social and Cultural Foundations in 2023, also from UW. Her research is in the philosophy of education, with a focus on the ethics of education in the context of the global climate crisis. She also served as a Graduate Fellow with PLATO from 2021-2023. In her free time, Melissa loves to cook and bake, backpack, and dabble in various arts and crafts projects.

Henry Cianfrani is a high schooler at Oakwood Friends School, located in Poughkeepsie, New York. He has a deep interest in subjects ranging from theology and existentialism to the philosophy of science and technology. Henry is also the co-captain of his school’s Ethics Bowl team. Outside of academics, he enjoys soccer, running, reading, and playing guitar.

Marisa Diaz-Waian chairs the PLATO Education Committee. She is the founder and director of Merlin CCC – a public philosophy non-profit in Helena, MT. A community philosopher and generalist by nature, training, and practice, Marisa happily hangs her hat at Merlin Nature Preserve where she lives and serves as its trustee and steward. She has a special interest in ethics, ancient philosophy, existentialism, humor, and “fuzzy” topics at the intersection of philosophy and psychology. Her work focuses on philosophy in the community, frequently with an interdisciplinary, environmental, and intergenerational bent.  

Sarthak Dhole (he/him) is a junior at Jayshree Periwal International School in Jaipur, India. He is a firm believer in the ultimately rhizomatic nature of knowledge and loves to explore how philosophy threads through physics, ecology, language, and pop culture. Having experienced the power of insightful and convivial conversations during the International Philosophy Olympiads, he co-founded Philosium to help make such philosophical inquiry and dialogue more accessible worldwide. Aside from this, and strangely enough, he enjoys fighting over physics (see: IYPT physics fights).

Kate Given is an undergraduate philosophy student at Columbia University in the City of New York. She began her work with PLATO as a social media intern in 2022 and has since furthered her involvement as a member of the staff, the student advisory council, and the graduate/undergraduate consortium. She was named a finalist in the 2023 American Philosophy Open and received the Girl Scout Gold Award for her work with Southern California school districts to create and implement hands-on, arts-based philosophy curriculum in local elementary school classrooms. She has also been published in PLATO’s pre-college philosophy journal, Questions: Philosophy for Young People, and continues to pursue her love of philosophical writing and inquiry at the collegiate level.

Mary Drayer has been a high school social studies teacher since 1993, promoting student agency and fostering academic and emotional growth in the classroom. She began her career at the Lexington School for the Deaf in New York City and is now an elective social studies teacher in Long Island. She teaches self-developed courses in Introduction to Debate and Introduction to Philosophy, along with AP Research. Throughout her career, she has coached Mock Trial, Ethics Bowl, and Debate teams. Recently, she expanded her involvement in the K-12 P4C community through PLATO’s professional development courses and organizing the Long Island Ethics Bowl.

Aaron Yarmel is the Associate Director of the Center for Ethics and Human Values at The Ohio State University, where his research interests include philosophy for children, social change, and two-level utilitarianism. In addition to overseeing all CEHV programs, Aaron leads its efforts on dialogue facilitation and skill building, outreach, and the ETHOS Fellows program. He is also the Founding Director of Philosophy Counseling and Consulting, an organization that offers philosophical counseling. He has a PhD in philosophy from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Outside his academic work, Aaron has been an animal rights activist and a vegan since 2011. 
LinkedIn profile

Lori Morrison is a seasoned nonprofit and education professional with over 20 years of experience in both higher education and high school settings. She is passionate about the evolving landscape of education and advocates for the integration of philosophy-driven critical thinking skills. Lori has held roles in fundraising development and marketing with community-focused organizations like the American Cancer Society and faith-based institutions, including universities and missions organizations. She and her family embrace a unique lifestyle in Southern California, living in the Angeles National Forest, where her husband of 23 years serves as a Maintenance Manager at an overnight camp. Lori enjoys spending quality time with her husband, two children, and their yellow lab, Tilly.

Cassie Finley is a PhD candidate in philosophy at the University of Iowa. She is the director of the Iowa Lyceum, a free precollege philosophy summer program run by University of Iowa graduate students. She has published on the Iowa Lyceum and graduate student education, and has current projects in public and precollege philosophy in the works. She also developed (with Jen Foster, USC) the free public philosophy workshop series, “Cogtweeto.” Her research interests include virtue education, metaphilosophy, social epistemology, ancient Greek philosophy, and philosophy of technology.

Justin Jho is a rising senior at Shady Side Academy in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he founded and leads his school's Philosophy and Ethics Bowl team. Having completed university coursework, Justin is particularly interested in normative and applied ethics, epistemology, and Catholic theology. He was a shortlisted finalist in the 2025 John Locke Global Essay Competition. In his third year on PLATO's Student Advisory Council, Justin has served as panelist for webinars and editor of Questions. Beyond philosophy, Justin has served as editorial assistant for The Concord Review, captains his varsity boys squash team, and co-founded a community fundraising rock band.

Paul Castles is a passionate supporter of the humanities and education alongside arts and technology. His work history in mission-driven non-profits includes Girls Who Code as a member of the Program Operations team, coordination of the development of digital learning applications for UNICEF Disabilities, and operations and administration for Weill Cornell Medicine. He is a graduate of New York University and the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and has received fellowships and residencies from the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study, NYU Centre for Ballet and the Arts, Yaddo, and UKARIA.

Rahsaan is a rising senior at The Roxbury Latin School and the incoming 2-year president of his school's philosophy club. He has a deep passion for ancient philosophy, particularly the works of Sophocles, Plato, and Marcus Aurelius. He also enjoys the existential inquiry of Jean Paul Sartre. His philosophical interests center on moral dilemmas and ethical reasoning. Aside from philosophy, Rahsaan loves soccer and volunteering.

Carol Brumer Gliksman has an MSW from Indiana University and has worked with nonprofit organizations and higher education in fundraising/leadership development. She has also worked with schools of social work at the University of Illinois (Champaign), Case Western Reserve University (Cleveland) and Loyola University (Chicago). During the pandemic she served as the Chaplaincy Coordinator for JCFS in Skokie, Illinois, and most recently was the Volunteer Manager for the Georgia Radio Reading Service. Originally from South Bend, Indiana, prior to coming to Atlanta to be with her partner, Richard, in 2022, she lived most of her life in several Midwest communities. In her spare time, Carol loves reading what she calls cookbook memoir, delving into contemporary issues, traveling everywhere, and walking through cultivated gardens.

Dan Fouts has been high school social studies teacher since 1993 in the Chicagoland area, teaching US history, AP government, American studies and, most recently, a philosophy elective which he designed in 2011. Outside of the classroom, he has presented extensively at the state and national level on inquiry-based instruction techniques, in addition to working with PLATO and the American Philosophical Association to bring philosophy into K-12 classrooms in the United States. He is a co-founder of Teach Different, a professional development organization which helps teachers and students master the art and science of classroom conversations using a simple protocol which combines quotes, claims, counterclaims and essential questions.

Peter Fristedt served for twelve years at the National Endowment for the Humanities, first as a Senior Program Officer and most recently as the Assistant Director of Public Programs. In these roles he helped run grant programs supporting museum exhibitions, documentary films, podcasts, digital experiences, and public discussions. He holds a PhD in philosophy from Stony Brook University, and has taught at institutions including Hofstra University and Towson University. He has published research on the philosophy of language, moral philosophy, and the philosophy of history in journals including Philosophy and Social Criticism and European Journal of Philosophy.

Chris Freiler taught for 35 years at Morgan Park Academy and Hinsdale Central High school, primarily AP European History and Philosophy Honors. He also served in many capacities with the College Board in content development and test construction and assessment. Chris authored three editions of the Achiever AP review guide for European History, as well as the recently published with Steve Heller Crosscurrent: Aristotle’s Common Topics Meet the AP History Courses (both from Sherpa Publishing). Chris earned his M.A. in philosophy at NIU in DeKalb, IL, after having earned a B.A. from Northwestern University and M.A. from University of Virginia.

Lee is lawyer and business executive who has spent nearly thirty years managing legal, finance, and operations functions across multiple technology businesses.  He believes strongly in the combined power of critical thinking skills coupled with a curiosity mindset, and the importance of nurturing each in young people.  In his spare time, in addition to philanthropic activities, he is an enthusiastic cook, cyclist, traveler, and reader.

Sara Goering is Professor and Chair of the Department of Philosophy at the University of Washington, Seattle. She has worked with young people from Kindergarten through high school, in weekly philosophy discussions in school, all-day philosophy classes through outreach programs, philosophy summer camps, and middle and high school ethics bowls.

Steve Goldberg has taught philosophy and history over the past forty years in high school, college, and adult education settings. He has a doctorate in philosophy and has written two books as well as articles and essays in journals and magazines. Goldberg is a former member of PLATO's Board of Directors.

Yunah Kwon is an undergraduate sophomore at Columbia University studying philosophy with a minor in physics and music performance on a pre-law track. She is interested in aesthetics, intellectual property, and quantum mechanics. In her free time, she enjoys visiting new art exhibits in NYC and playing the oboe

Claire Katz is Professor and Associate Provost for Faculty Advocacy at Texas A&M University. She conducts research and teaches courses in two primary areas: 1. at the intersection of philosophy, education, gender, and Jewish studies and 2. K-12 philosophy.  She was named a Presidential Professor for Teaching Excellence and a Piper Professor in the state of Texas. In 2023, she was a finalist for the Robert Foster Cherry Award for Great Teaching, a national teaching award presented by Baylor University. She is the author of three monographs and six edited collections, including Growing Up with Philosophy Camp: How Learning to Think Develops Friendship, Community, and a Sense of Self (R&L, 2020) and Philosophy Camps for Youth (R&L 2021). She founded and now co-directs P4C Texas and the Aggie School of Athens Philosophy Summer Camp for Teens.

A junior at Monta Vista High School (Cupertino, CA), Aanya is passionate about applied ethics and political philosophy and their intersection with policy and social justice. She works with organizations that advocate for and help exonerate wrongfully convicted individuals, addressing inequities within the justice system. She founded and leads her school’s Ethics Bowl team and has deepened her foundation in philosophy through community college and online courses. To make philosophy more approachable, she has published blog posts reflecting on her experiences learning about philosophy through accessible options. In her free time, she enjoys reading and going on long walks.

Ayla is a junior at the University of Washington studying philosophy. Her interests are focused on metaphysics, philosophy of sport, and theology. In her free time, she enjoys weightlifting and hanging out with her kitten.

Bob Gordon has years of experience dealing with legal and financial matters as a tax and corporate lawyer. While majoring in philosophy as an undergraduate, he developed a boundless intellectual curiosity and a passion for critical thinking that was essential to his success initially in educational publishing and then in law. In his spare time, he is engaged with several nonprofit, charitable, and community organizations and reads obsessively.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rmgordon

Claire Pan is a rising senior at Horace Mann School in New York City with a deep interest in the intersection of philosophy and cognitive science. She has independently explored both fields through extensive reading, research, and essay writing. At school, she is especially drawn to the mind sciences and linguistics, having studied Latin and French for over six years and recently begun formal coursework in psychology. Outside the classroom, Claire sings in a competitive choir that performs internationally and participates in cultural exchange programs. She also enjoys creative writing, reading literary science fiction and classic literature, hiking, and reflective journaling.

Eleanor Oser is a fifth-year PhD student in philosophy and MA student in Classical Studies at Boston University, where she works on ancient Greek ethics, moral psychology, and feminist philosophy, especially Aristotle. She is a volunteer teacher with Corrupt the Youth and serves as Graduate Director for the Philosophy in an Inclusive Key Summer Institute (PIKSI) at MIT. Before graduate school, she spent two years as an AmeriCorps volunteer in southwest Alaska. Outside philosophy, she enjoys painting and spending time outdoors.

Ashley Cheffer-Kalis works in Growth Science and Predictive Analytics for PepsiCo where she applies a scientific and evidence based approach for identifying growth opportunities within the business as well as across food and beverage categories. She holds a degree in Public Relations and Psychology, as well as an Executive Education Leadership Certification from MIT Sloan School of Management and CSAIL Computer Science in Artificial Intelligence and Business Strategy.

Ashley is passionate about Philosophy and Philanthropy and making sure each individual has a safe space to explore life’s questions and to feed one’s curiosity. She is looking forwarding to lighting this spark for philosophy with children and adults of all ages.

Roberta Israeloff has directed the Squire Family Foundation since its inception in 2007. The Foundation advocates for the inclusion of philosophy in elementary and secondary schools, and co-founded both PLATO and the National High School Ethics Bowl. She co-edited Philosophy and Education: Introducing Philosophy to Young People, and is on the editorial board of Precollege Philosophy and Public Practice. In her thirty-five-year writing career, she has published numerous essays, short stories, book reviews, and books including, mostly recently, The Ethics Bowl Way: Answering Questions, Questioning Answers, and Creating Ethical Communities, co-edited with Karen Mizell.
Roberta's resume

Erik Kenyon, a classicist with a specialty in ancient philosophical dialogue, is author of Augustine and the Dialogue (Cambridge University Press, 2018) and co-author of Ethics for the Very Young (Rowman & Littlefield, 2019). He taught for eight years at Rollins College. Since 2020, he has taught middle-school Latin and Humanities at Friends Academy, Dartmouth, MA, where he is helping integrate ethical reasoning into the curriculum. Erik serves on the board of the National Middle School Ethics Bowl. He is currently translating a collection of Greek and Latin philosophical texts for young readers.

Scott MacLeod attributes his success as an advertising executive, nonprofit manager, and educator to his early training in philosophy. He served as Senior Vice President for global advertising agencies, including J. Walter Thompson and Development Director for Breakthrough Collaborative, a national education nonprofit. After a successful bout with cancer, Scott pursued his lifelong passion for education as an award-winning teacher at a public high school, where he taught AP Language & Composition, Journalism and coached the Ethics Bowl team. When not pondering the great questions of life, Scott can be found mountain biking, snowboarding or playing guitar and bass in a rock band called The Role Models. Scott earned an AB cum laude in Philosophy from Harvard University and an MAT from University of San Francisco, where his master’s thesis was titled “Philosophical Inquiry in the High School English Classroom.”

LinkedIn profile

Rania Lwin Karim is a London-based student at Westminster School, where she reads Latin and Ancient Greek at A-Level. Her academic interests centre on the dialogue between classical and modern thought — particularly the application of post-structuralist and feminist critical frameworks to ancient texts. She is a regular contributor to her school’s intellectual life, having recently delivered a talk exploring Derridean deconstruction theory and Gayatri Spivak’s postcolonial theory in relation to Homer’s Odyssey.

Colin Pierce has been an educator for 14 years and is a passionate advocate for equity in education and elevating youth voice and agency in the matters most important to them. He taught at Rainier Beach High School in south Seattle for eight years and coached teams in the Washington State Ethics Bowl for seven. Born in Oakland, California, he received his Bachelor's degree from Sarah Lawrence College and his Master of Arts in Teaching from Lewis & Clark College. He currently works for the City of Seattle's Department of Education and Early Learning and serves on the Washington State Leadership Board, among other volunteer activities. 

Lena holds a Master's in Library and Information Science from the University of Washington and has been a Children's Librarian since 2018. She is passionate about offering philosophy for children in informal settings, such as public libraries, while prioritizing an equity framework.

Grey is a rising college freshman at the University of Virginia pursuing a Philosophy and Neuroscience double-major. As a graduate of Stanford Online High School, Grey was introduced to philosophy from middle school onwards and experienced first-hand the benefits of precollegiate philosophy. Grey has recently pursued further education through Yale University’s Interdisciplinary Center for Bioethics, applying philosophy and ethics to real-world applications. She is particularly interested in cognitive philosophy, neuroethics, and theories of self.

Kaia is a sophomore at Northgate High School in the Bay Area. Ever since she discovered ethical dilemmas in 8th grade, she has been fascinated by philosophy, reading works by Aristotle, Socrates, and Plato and taking courses at Brown University and through PLATO’s online philosophy program. Today, she enjoys debating topics ranging from the ethics of religion to definitions of consciousness.

Jane Rutstein Shay is a 5th-grade teacher and the Middle School Debate Coach at the Evergreen School in Shoreline, WA.  She received a bachelor's in philosophy from Tufts University and her master’s in teaching from Seattle University. Jane has been teaching elementary and middle school since 2008 and has sought to infuse philosophical inquiry into the curriculum and her work with children. In 2024, partnering with other middle school teachers, Jane spearheaded a middle school Ethics Bowl in the Seattle area and intends to continue growing this event. Jane began working with/(learning from) PLATO (formerly the University of Washington’s Center for Philosophy for Children) in 2015, most recently serving on the Programs (later Education) Committee and the Conference Committee.

Marisol Ruano-Vargas is a senior at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro where she is pursuing a B.A. in Philosophy on the Pre-Law track. She holds a B.S. in Elementary Education from Winston-Salem State University, where she graduated magna cum laude. In addition to pursuing a second degree, she is currently working full-time as a lower school Spanish teacher and a preschool Spanish and Art teacher at Forsyth Country Day School in NC. Marisol is passionate about philosophy and the opportunity to introduce philosophical inquiry to the youngest of learners, hoping to spark curiosity and meaningful dialogue in K-12 spaces.

I'm a rising junior in New Jersey that first got exposed to philosophy in an ethics course my freshman year. Since then, I've been fascinated by just how deep and interconnected philosophical thought can get; every question seems to open ten more. I love teaching and sharing knowledge, not just about philosophy, to others because it enriches everyone's understanding of a topic and lets me build genuine connections. To me, there's something uniquely rewarding about watching an idea click for someone else. In my spare time, I enjoy doing math, where I find a similar elegance and rigor.

Valerie Wang is a sophomore at the Liberal Arts & Science Academy in Austin, Texas. She is passionate about philosophy, particularly ethics and existentialism as well as religious philosophies. She competed on her high school’s inaugural Ethics Bowl team and strives to help continue the team in the future. Outside of philosophy, she enjoys learning German, rowing, playing the violin, and trying new foods.

John Torrey is Associate Professor of Philosophy and a contributing professor in the Africana Studies unit at SUNY Buffalo State. He holds a BA in Philosophy and Spanish from Morehouse College (2009) and an MA and Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Memphis (2019). His primary research interests are in the intersection of political philosophy, applied ethics, and African-American philosophy, specifically with regards to calls for Black reparations in America. Additionally, he has interests in philosophy of education and pre-college philosophy. He also has developed precollege philosophy programs since 2010, Philosophical Horizons at the University of Memphis and the Buffalo State Lyceum.

Zander Schirmer is a rising junior at Hamilton College, studying philosophy. Outside of his major, he is also a copy editor for his school’s journal of literary philosophy, “Book XI.” This summer, Zander is working for Freedom Schools, where he teaches literacy skills to a classroom of middle-school students. In his free time, Zander enjoys traveling, hiking, and reading books.

Meera Patel is a Senior Director of Global Omnichannel Advanced Analytics at Kellanova, where she leads transformative initiatives leveraging AI in sales and marketing. With over 20 years of experience in the industry, she has played pivotal roles at companies such as Kellanova, Pepsi, and Unilever. Furthermore, she has also founded a tech start-up and co-developed an Omnichannel executive leadership program at Cornell Tech. 

Specializing in philosophy for children and the history of philosophy, Wendy C. Turgeon is presently the chair of the Department of Philosophy at St. Joseph’s College, where she has been teaching courses since 1991. One of the leading proponents of the freshman honors program, Dr. Turgeon coordinates the program in addition to teaching one of its core courses. She has also incorporated global education into many of the philosophy classes at the College and is a passionate advocate for study abroad. Dr. Turgeon was also instrumental in creating the College’s minor in women’s studies.

David Shapiro is a faculty member at Cascadia College, where he teaches college philosophy classes that draw heavily upon his experiences and lesson plans for doing philosophy with pre-college students. He has been doing philosophy with young people in and around the Seattle area since he was a graduate student at the University of Washington way back in the 20th century. David is the author and/or co-author of six books, including Plato Was Wrong! Footnotes on Doing Philosophy with Young People, a compendium of activities, exercises, and games he has developed for exploring philosophical questions in the classroom and beyond.

Stephen Kekoa Miller, Humanities Department chair at Oakwood Friends School and Adjunct Professor of Philosophy at Marist College, has taught philosophy for the past 20 years in Poughkeepsie NY. Stephen has developed a wide range of courses from middle school philosophy through upper-level college courses and a philosophy series for parents and community members. Stephen’s research interests have included pre-college philosophy, philosophy of education, virtue ethics and philosophy of emotion. Stephen served on the Teachers Advisory Council of the National Humanities Center. He is the editor of Intentional Disruptions (Vernon, 2021). 
Stephen’s Resume

Ariel Sykes is the Director of Mindbridge Education. She has worked in the philosophy for children community for 17 years and specializes in dialogic teaching strategies, argumentation, and ethics instruction. She received her B.A from Mount Holyoke College and her M.A. from Teachers College, Columbia University in the field of Philosophy and Education. Ariel is the co-founder of the New York City High School Ethics Bowl and an endorsed practitioner of the Institute for the Advancement of Philosophy for Children.

Dustin Webster is a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Pennsylvania where he serves as the Co-Director for Penn’s Project for Philosophy for the Young. In addition to philosophy for children and pre-college philosophy, Dustin's research interests include normative evaluations of using education for social mobility, the relationship of education to work, character and virtue education, and educational ethics. He has a professional background in K-12 education with experience in a variety of contexts, including most recently as a 5th grade teacher. Dustin received his PhD from the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education where he studied the philosophy of education.

Greg Webb is a middle school social studies teacher in Kentucky, adjunct criminal justice instructor at Kentucky State University, and a doctoral candidate in Criminal Justice at Tiffin University. His scholarly interests include philosophy for children, civic education, identity formation, criminological theory, and the intersection of meaning and human behavior. Drawing on experiences in foster care, military service, and higher education, his work aims to make complex philosophical and social questions accessible to broader audiences. He is currently developing educational and community-based initiatives that encourage young people to engage with philosophy, history, and democratic citizenship.

JC Wright is an instructor and curriculum advisor for philosophy and music classes at Qualia: The School for Deeper Learning. His work focuses on the use of tabletop roleplaying games and thought experiments to facilitate philosophical discussions among 4th-12th grade students while emphasizing the development of social-emotional skills. Examples of specialized high school classes JC has taught include board game design, the philosophy of consciousness, theories of jazz improvisation, the linguistics of constructed languages, and the history of corporate crime. JC holds an M.A. in Philosophy from Virginia Tech.

Kevin Zhang is an undergraduate student at Dartmouth College pursuing philosophy, mathematics, and linguistics. He was a co-chair of the PLATO Student Advisory Council and the winner of the John Locke Essay Prize and the Think Essay Prize. He founded the high school research section of Questions and serves as an editor. He is passionate about expanding access to philosophical resources and figuring out what there is.