Michael Stone

Michael Stone is an experienced educator with a passion for teacher and leadership development. He currently serves as the Director of Innovative Learning for the Public Education Foundation in Chattanooga, TN, and is the Cofounder of devX, an education consulting firm. He played in a central role in the development of the first Fab Lab in the state of Tennessee and has since led an effort to open digital fabrication labs, dubbed “VW eLabs,” in 16 public schools in southeast Tennessee thanks to a $1 million grant from Volkswagen Group of America. In July 2016, he concluded a one-year appointment as an Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow at the National Science Foundation (NSF) in the Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) in Washington, DC.

After earning a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Bryan College, Michael spent the early part of his career working in Information Technology. However, his passion for education pulled him back to the classroom in 2006 when he began teaching Physics and other sciences at a private, parochial high school in Tennessee (Hamilton Heights Christian Academy). After receiving a Masters of Arts in Instructional Leadership in 2008, Michael moved to public school where he spent five years as an advanced mathematics and computer science teacher. In 2014, he became the Project Based Learning (PBL) Manager and Fabrication Laboratory (FabLab) Director at STEM School Chattanooga. He served in this role until moving his family to Washington DC where he worked to support NSF's efforts to broaden the scope of rigorous computer science education in the nation. He is the author of “Oh! That’s Education?”

In his current role, he develops unique professional development opportunities for teachers and supports innovative initiatives throughout the southeast. Michael has had the opportunity to present at unique venues throughout the United States, including speaking engagements and workshop presentations at the White House, NASA Headquarters, the National Science Foundation, the Boston Museum of Science, and a number of education conferences.