ISTE Immersive Esports Experience

Chris Aviles is a STEM teacher at Monmouth Beach middle school in Monmouth Beach, New Jersey where he runs the renowned MB Makes program and Dolphins esports team. He is also the founder of Garden State Esports, New Jersey's non-profit scholastic esports organization for students, run by teachers. 

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Jeffery Harrison currently holds the position of Director of Network and Operations for the East Baton Rouge Parish school system. After working with EBR for over 20 years, he and his team began to apply themselves to building the framework of an esports program partnership with business, the community, and local government agencies during a timeframe made more difficult by the health situation while still overseeing the operations side of the parish network. He also leads an IT Team of players knows as the Desktop Bandits that competes and put on scripted programs with the students in EBR.

Kristina Ishmael is an educator, learner, advocate, and agent of change. She is the Deputy Director of the Office of Ed Tech leading the office in its vision and execution of priorities focused on improving teaching and learning.

I spent my first several years in education teaching chemistry and computer science. I am now an STEM Services Coordinator at Chester County Intermediate Unit in Pennsylvania, where I focus on STEM, Science, Computer Science, Esports, and Tech Integration. I love to travel and present at conferences! My favorite conference to attend is ISTE and I had the privilege of presenting in 2018, 2019, and 2020. Outside of school, I teach taekwondo, collect laptop stickers, and hang out with my dogs and husband.

Doug is a passionate educator, designer, writer, speaker, and leader. He currently serves as the National Esports Manager at CDW Education. Doug focuses on acting as a connecting point between people, ideas, and solutions. He has worked with some of the largest districts in the country on their deployment of devices, instructional technology, strategic planning, STEM/makerspace, and esports programs. On his education journey, he has served in both urban and suburban school districts as a teacher, coach, assistant principal, school district administrator, and state education organization leader. He hosts a podcast and series on YouTube called Focus on EDU.

Adrieanne is a special education teacher with over five years of experience working in the public school system. She earned her Bachelors of Science, Elementary and Special Education from Louisiana State University, and Masters of Art, Student Affairs in Higher Education, from Northwestern State University. She is a 21-22 NASEF Scholastic Fellow, connecting with professionals internationally working to bring esports to students and empowering them to take charge in their communities. She is also a co-founder of BY-U Esports, an organization working to bring esports clubs and scholastic esports to minority and underrepresented students in their schools and community programs.

Ben is the Assistant Director of Technology at the Lincoln Intermediate Unit, a service agency in Pennsylvania. Ben has engaged in professional development across the globe in his consultancy, EdTechInnovators. He is a former ISTE Board of Directors member and was the Regional Program Chair for the 2019 ISTE Conference in Philadelphia. Ben is the President of PAECT, the PA ISTE Affiliate. He is an ISTE Certified Educator and delivers the ISTE Certification as his organization is a provider (CAP).

Christopher Turner is the Coordinator Southern University Law Center's Mixed Reality Virtual Innovation Gaming and Esports Institute, Director, and founder of Southern University Esports and Southern University Laboratory School Esports. As a young educator, graphic design, visual arts, and technology have always been a great passion of Turner’s. With more than ten years of teaching experience, He has found a way to effectively incorporate esports educational advancements in both K-12 and collegiate settings.

Lumen Vera has a wide range of esports experience. He has competed in the industry for over 20 years. He has served as CEO of Crescent Esports since 2016 while gaining experience as a head coach and tournament director for various esports teams and organizations. He is currently the Head Esports Coach at Loyola University New Orleans.