Too Many Children Left Behind: Improving Equity in Education through Innovation

Maria Burns Ortiz is co-founder and CEO of 7 Generation Games, developing educational games and interactive apps aimed at closing the math gap. Taking 7 Generation Games from concept to award-winning company, she oversees all creative aspects of game development. She is a NY Times best-selling author and teaching artist at Minneapolis’ Loft Literary Center. Previous to 7 Generation Games, Maria was a journalist for leading international news outlets and taught as an adjunct professor at Emerson College and visiting lecturer at Tufts University. She is a Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal 40 Under 40 and Forbes Next 1000 Honoree, while 7 Generation Games is the 2021 Minne Inno Blazer Award winner for education.

Shanita Young is the Wiconí Wasté (Good Life) youth program coordinator for the Little Earth Residents Association. As part of the organization’s education team, she runs the mentoring program for Little Earth high school students, ensuring students have support they need to succeed in  and outside of the classroom. Previously, Young was the American Indian Multicultural Liaison for St. Louis Park Public Schools and Chairperson of the district’s AIPAC (American Indian Parent Advisory Committee). She has also spent time working with the Summer Learning Program at Central Community Center. Shanita grew up in the Twin Cities area and is an enrolled member of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe.

Dr. Michael Wulf is founder of the Minnesota STEM Partnership, n-profit initiative that provides access to high-tech activities in STEM for K-12 students and their families within the Twin Cities and across Minnesota to address the access and opportunity disparities in BIPOC communities. Michael is also Chief Executive Officer of a technical and STEM education consulting business WebDemoZ, focused on enabling small business and non-profits access to the rapidly expanding digital environment. As a product of the inner-city neighborhood, originally from St. Paul’s Rondo-Summit/University area, Wulf credits his community with helping define him as an early entrepreneur and leader and instilling a commitment to giving back. He holds a Doctorate of Education in Organizational Leadership (Ed.D./OL) from Argosy University.