Officers
Ben Smith - President
Ben is a Computer Science Teacher and robotics coach from Rowland Hall School in Salt Lake City. With over 25 years teaching experience in public and independent schools, Ben has a Masters in Instructional Design and Educational Technology from the University of Utah, is a facilitator for the mobileCSP and CSAwesome AP curriculum in the summer. Ben has taught robotics, AP CSP, AP CSA, python and Arduino robotics, FTC robotics, ECS, and is an advocate for Makerspaces and Creative coding.
Carl Lyman - Past President
Carl has spent over 30 years as a teacher, 6 years as an elementary teacher, and over 27 years teaching business, programming, digital media, and IT classes. For over 8 years he has worked at the Utah State Office of Education in CTE overseeing computer programming and other IT courses. He has written curriculum to teach CS using Microbits for upper elementary and middle school teachers.
Chelsey Beck - Vice President
Chelsey works at Springville High School teaching Computer Science and helping manage Canvas for her district. She has developed a K-12 feeder system to teach students computer science beginning in kindergarten.
Nicole Reitz-Larsen - Secretary
Nicole is a computer science teacher at West High School.
She has taught AP/IB Computer Science, Computer Science A, Computer Science Principles, Exploring Computer Science, Creative Coding, Programming I and Programming II, Multimedia, Business Courses and German.
Mike Wood - Treasurer
Mike teaches French, College & Career Awareness, Exploring Computer Science, Creative Coding and Web Development at Timberline Middle School. In addition to teaching, he helps advise a Robotics team and is also a coach of Cross Country and Track & Field.
Melinda Mansouri - Web Developer
Melinda Mansouri is creative, innovative, and goal-oriented. She enjoys design work and solving problems using technology. She has been teaching for 26 years for Jordan School District. Melinda has been teaching in CTE for the last 15 years in the subject areas of Digital Media, Game Design, and Web Design.
Awards include:
NCWIT Teacher of the Year 2019
UACTE Teacher of the Year 2018
Congressional Recognition of Teachers 2018- Mia Love Jordan Education Foundation Teacher of the Year 2016