Jensen Bloom
Jensen Bloom is the Communications Coordinator for TRSA. Her roots lie in the heartland, as she was born and raised in Oklahoma, bouncing between Owasso, Collinsville, and Claremore. After spending six adventurous years in the bustling city of Chicago and another three in lively Kansas City, MO, she eventually found her way back to her hometown of Tulsa in 2021. She has a Bachelor of Science degree from Oklahoma State University and a Master of Public Health degree from the University of New England.
She has written for companies like Study.com, the CDC Foundation, and many health and medical organizations. Previously specializing in health education for the public, Jensen has a dedicated goal to help educate youth and adults alike on important subjects. Beyond her professional endeavors, Jensen actively serves as a board member and secretary for the Tulsa Period Pantry, channeling her passion for making a difference in her community.
In her free time, she is a children’s science fiction writer. She also enjoys traveling (her favorite place is Japan), movies/television, and her dogs. Her other science love is outer space.
Katie Burk
Biography Coming Soon!
Rachel Christy
Rachel received a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education from Northeastern State University. After completing her degree program, Rachel also earned additional certifications in Elementary Education and Secondary Computer Science Education.
Before joining TRSA, Rachel taught Kindergarten, First Grade, Fourth Grade, Eighth Grade, and Ninth Grade across Oklahoma for a total of 10 years. During her tenure as an educator, Rachel served as a robotics instructor, STEM Family Night Coordinator, STEM Advisory Committee Chair, and wrote and received classroom grants totaling over $80,000. As a lifelong learner, she also participated in numerous professional development opportunities in the areas of STEM and equity, with her most recent participation in the National Air and Space Museum Teacher Innovator Institute.
Through her experiences as a public school teacher, Rachel realized her passion for STEM engagement and the representation of youth in typically marginalized communities. This realization led to a change of career path to the nonprofit world, where she could apply her passions, skills, and knowledge to influence STEM Education on a larger scale. It also inspired Rachel’s current pursuit of a master’s degree in public administration with an emphasis in nonprofit management from Arkansas State University.
Outside of her passions for STEM Education, Rachel loves spending time with her daughters, Clara and Emilynn, and their dog, Rexi. Their most treasured adventures include cooking, painting, camping, reading, fiercely competitive game nights, and bursting into song and dancing at random intervals throughout the day (because life would be better as a musical).
Melissa Cobb
Melissa received her B.S. in Secondary Science Education from Oklahoma State University. She has 9 years of experience teaching high school Environmental Science, Marine Science, and STEM. Before becoming an educator, she worked as a Medical Laboratory Technologist. Melissa is passionate about supporting teachers and helping students overcome barriers, making STEM education more accessible to all. Melissa enjoys spending time with her husband, traveling, reading, and training her dogs in competition agility.
Christie Little
Christie was born and raised in Oklahoma and has called Tulsa home since 2003. She received her M.S. in Accounting from Oklahoma State University and has over 20 years of public accounting experience in auditing and quality control. When not crunching numbers, Christie enjoys quilting, knitting, traveling/camping with her husband (also a CPA), and spending time with their three dogs. Christie also loves watching baseball, and she and her husband are over halfway to their goal of attending a game at every major league baseball park.
Dr. Emily Mortimer
Emily Mortimer is a rural Missouri native with a B.S. in Biology from Missouri State University, M.S. in Teaching, Learning and Leadership from OSU, and a Ph.D. in Curriculum and STEM from OSU. Her professional experience includes 14 years in informal education at the Tulsa Zoo and Dickerson Park Zoo. Over the years, her main job duties included behavioral training for various bird and mammal species, volunteer management, community partnerships, program development, curriculum writing, and education department management. Ten years ago she was a member of the founding team for the teacher professional development program, SENSEsational Science, which is now a TRSA program and has served over 400 Oklahoma teachers and given out over 32,000 hours of PD.
When not at work, Emily is an active triathlete and UNAA ninja as part of the 2024 Smashfest Queen Athlete Team.
Levi Patrick
Levi is a 7th-generation Oklahoman with experience as a teacher, instructional coach, and curriculum writer. After teaching in Putnam City and Oklahoma City schools, Levi worked at the K20 Center for Education and Community Renewal as a Mathematics Specialist. Most recently, he worked at the Oklahoma State Department of Education for more than eight years as the Director of Computer Science and Secondary Mathematics and Assistant Deputy Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction. He began his role as the Executive Director of the Tulsa Regional STEM Alliance in 2021. Levi holds his Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics Education from Oklahoma State University and his Master’s Degree in Instructional and Academic Leadership from the University of Oklahoma.
During his career, Levi has made authentic, ambitious instruction his goal as he has provided countless hours of professional development, designed state policies, managed federal grants, and helped to direct millions of dollars aimed at elevating excellent STEM teaching. Levi has designed and implemented innovative structures that reimagine accountability as a method for envisioning, supporting, and celebrating schools. As a result, Oklahoma has gained national attention for the Champions of Excellence initiative including two research studies focusing on the role Networked Improvement Communities play in creating collective efficacy and affecting instruction, social-emotional, and achievement outcomes. The widely-regarded framework for evaluating STEM integration, co-developed with Tiffany Neill, has become an essential tool for STEM leaders across the country. While serving on the Association of State Supervisors of Mathematics as the Vice-President of Program, Levi co-authored the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics position paper on STEM Education, “Building STEM Education on a Sound Mathematical Foundation,” co-developed the Every Student Succeeds Act Toolkit that provided guidance for reviewing and improving state plans for federally funded initiatives, and received the 2019 State Leadership Service Award in Mathematics from the Association of State Supervisors of Mathematics and Texas Instruments. Levi completed a fellowship with Results for America in 2020 and continues to prioritize evidence-based investments in STEM Education that can ensure all students are STEM-ready and lead choice-filled lives.
When Levi isn’t dreaming about STEM Education, you can find him and his daughter Ruby hiking, picnicking, cooking, gardening, cycling, birding, or watching Frozen for the umpteen-millionth time.
Lynn Staggs
Lynn Staggs is the Chief of Staff for TRSA. Having worked in the tech industry for many years, TRSA and its mission of raising awareness about and interest in STEM is near and dear to her heart.
Living with a husband with a science degree and raising a daughter with a science degree and a son with an engineering degree, Lynn is the maverick in the family with a double major in literature and mass media studies.
While this is the first time she’s been paid for her work at a non-profit, Lynn has accumulated thousands of volunteer hours at numerous non-profits – starting in high school when she volunteered with a special needs Girl Scout troop, through the PTA years and up to her current board membership at the League of Women Voters of Metropolitan Tulsa.
Away from work, she lives by the rallying cry of her birth city, New Orleans — laissez le bon temps rouler!
Kristen Tanner
Kristen received her B.S. in Elementary Education and Master’s Certificate in STEM Education from Northeastern State University and has 12 years of experience in the classroom, most recently as an elementary STEM teacher. She has a passion for STEM education, working with and encouraging teachers and helping students broaden their horizons and change the future. She has been married to her husband for over 20 years, and they have two amazing daughters. They love to travel and visit National Parks. When she’s not attending one of her daughters’ many band events, you can probably find her pulling weeds in the yard while dreaming of her next hiking and road trip.
Abigail Vensel
Abigail (Abbey) is originally from Upstate New York, near the Syracuse area. After graduating from the State University of New York (SUNY) at Geneseo with a B.A. in Mathematics, Abbey moved to Tulsa to join the 2018 Corps of Teach for America. She spent the next four years in the classroom, teaching 7th grade math and 8th grade Pre-Engineering. Abbey has a strong passion for math, STEM, and encouraging youth to explore interests relating to STEM, as well as providing teachers meaningful opportunities & resources to help their students be exposed to all things STEM.
In her free time, Abbey enjoys reading and watching movies, discussing said books and movies at length, and channeling her creative energy into the fiber arts such as knitting, crocheting, and sewing.
Jaime Walton
Meet Jaime, a dynamic advocate dedicated to fostering equity and opportunity in education. Hailing from Colorado but proudly rooted in Tulsa, she holds a Bachelor of Business Administration with a minor in marketing from Northeastern State University. With over a decade of experience in strategic communications, program development, volunteer management, and cultivating community partnerships, Jaime is driven by her passion for inclusive education and the transformative power of STEM thinking.
As a leading voice in increasing awareness and access, Jaime champions initiatives that level the playing field for students of all backgrounds. Her commitment is exemplified through her role on the inaugural board of Outdoor Classroom – Tulsa, a nonprofit organization focused on STEM and outdoor education, where she leverages her expertise in volunteer coordination and partnership cultivation to drive impactful change.
Beyond her professional endeavors, Jaime finds joy in culinary exploration alongside her husband and embraces an active lifestyle through running and cycling. With an unwavering dedication to creating a brighter future for all, Jaime continues to inspire change and leave a lasting impact on her community and beyond.