ChemEd 2025 Committee

Amy Bekins

University of Northern Colorado Greeley, CO

amy.bekins@unco.edu

Amy spent 10 years as a high school chemistry and AP chemistry teacher at Greeley Central High School before becoming the Assistant Principal at Franklin Middle School. She now uses her experience in K12 education to prepare future science teachers as an Assistant Professor of Science Education and Biology at the University of Northern Colorado. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her family, running with her puppies, and reading.

Amy Hill

Denver Academy of Torah, Denver, CO Science Department Chair

ahill@datcampus.org

Current HS science educator passionate about creating and implementing curriculum that excites and engages all students. In her free time, she enjoys long distance running, spending time with her husband and two sons, her dog Kate, reading, and her friends.

Amy Snyder

The Hockaday School, Dallas, TX

snyderteacher12@gmail.com

Enjoys camping with family, baking, puppy yoga, and sharing tips and tricks with fellow Chemistry teachers.  AP Chemistry reader and NSTA, NABT, & ACT member. This is my 3rd year at an all-girls private school, after 16 years teaching Chemistry, Biology, and Physics in TX public high schools.  I’m always trying to improve my assessment strategies and curriculum design- let’s talk if you have some new ideas!

Cilla Burrow

priscilla.burrow@ucdenver.edu

CU Denver professor/instructor for 2+ decades. I love chemical education and exploring ways to help students learn chemistry.

In my spare time I swim (outside if the temps are above zero 🙂), Nordic ski, and walk my dog.

Deanna Cullen

ChemEd Program Chair                  Grand Valley State University Allendale, MI

cullendeanna@gmail.com

GVSU Visiting Faculty – Chemistry, Former High School Editor ChemEd X, High School Chemistry Teacher – 25+ Retired

Doug Ragan

dragan@hpseagles.net                            X: @dragan39

Doug Ragan teaches Chemistry and Chemistry Concepts at Hudsonville HS in Hudsonville Michigan.  Doug has taught for 26 years in Virginia and Michigan teaching everything from AP chemistry to forensic chemistry.  He is currently the Education Chair for his local West MI Section of ACS and as the Co-Creator of Molympics, he serves as a board member of the National Mole Day Foundation. He has been a Lead Contributor for Chem Ed Xchange and is always looking to play pickleball in his free time.

Garrett Lim

glim@wvusd.org                                      X: @chemlimination

Garrett Lim teaches CP, AP and IB-HL/SL Chemistry at Walnut High School in Walnut, CA. He is serving as the Exhibitor Hall Chair for the ChemEd2025 Conference. Garrett has taught for 19 years in Southern California. He is currently a Lead Contributor at the Chemical Education Xchange (chemedx.org) and is a National Board Certified Teacher.  He loves music, craft beer, baseball and basketball.

Jennie Agin

Colorado Springs, CO 

jenniferagin@gmail.com

Former middle and high school science teacher passionate about chemistry, materials science, sustainability, and health & wellness. Currently working in food and beverage service sales.

Jo Tiwari

Honors & AP Chemistry Teacher Green Mountain High School Lakewood, CO

jtiwari@jeffcoschools.us

I am a HS and AP Chemistry educator for 20+ years at Green Mountain High School in Lakewood, CO. My courses are concurrent enrollment with Red Rocks community college. Additionally, I am the Academy Coordinator for the building. My degrees in chemical engineering & Latin American Studies help bring in different real-world connections to my teaching. 

On a personal note, for fun I enjoy playing tennis, pickleball, BollyX, and pilates.  I also love to do escape boxes, card making, reading, and trying new recipes. I love to travel and I have been to over 35+ countries.

Linda Cummings

Co-chair, ChemEd 2025          University of Colorado              Colorado Springs, CO

Linda is an associate teaching professor at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs. She is active in the AP Chemistry community as an item writer, an AP Reading question leader, and as an AP consultant. She is also busy about town as a musician, playing the pipe organ and singing classically. Linda loves hiking and birdwatching in the Colorado outdoors and relaxes by knitting and watching sumo.

Dr. Mellissa Pfaff

Mapleton Public Schools        University of Denver                                XSci

msbionerd@gmail.com                Handle: msbionerd

I have been teaching science for close to 25 years! I am currently teaching in Mapleton Public Schools. I serve as the district’s science lead as well as full time teacher. I teach Chemistry (woot), AP Biology and Aerospace. I was told to talk about what I do outside of work… wait people have a life outside of work? JK When I am not teaching… somewhere, I am deeply involved in the Air and Space Community. I live on a ranch in northern Colorado where I love to spend time with my horses and my dogs… and a good book!

Ryan Johnson

Co-chair, ChemEd 2025                United States Air Force Academy Colorado Springs, CO

ryan.johnson@afacademy.af.edu

Former HS chemistry and AP Chemistry educator for 10+ years, now teaching at USAFA and Pikes Peak State College. 

Enjoys being out on the trails with his dogs, Kuiper and Tycho, exploring the Colorado high country; passionate about chemistry modeling research and connecting secondary and post-secondary chemistry learners with high-quality resources and experiences.

Sienna Gonzalez

sgonzalez@mines.edu

Sienna Gonzalez is a Materials Science graduate student and Coorstek Fellow at the Colorado School of Mines, co-advised by Prof. Ryan Richards and Prof. Ryan O’Hayre. She obtained her undergraduate degree in Chemistry from this institution, as well. Currently, Sienna is working on the adaptation of solgel methods for the synthesis of high entropy perovskites, useful in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells. She hopes to one day become a teaching professor, serving as a role model for Hispanic students and other underrepresented groups in the STEM field. In her free time, Sienna enjoys hiking, crocheting, and listening to Kpop (TXT!!).

Stephan Graham

My name is Stephan Graham.  I am a physics and chemistry teacher in Denver, Colorado.  I have been teaching for over 25 years (uf!) and still loving it…mostly.  I am also an adjunct instructor at Colorado School of Mines Teach@Mines, a program in which engineering students can become certified STEM teachers. How cool is that!  Outside the classroom I teach snowboarding at Vail Mountain and enjoy skinning the mountains of Colorado. 

Sue Bober

Co-chair, ChemEd 2019                    2024 Retired Chemistry Teacher – Schaumburg High School, Illinois    (33 years)                                        STEAM Enrichment Teacher –          Fort Collins, CO                            National Mole Day Foundation      board member

sue.bober@comcast.net

Enjoys STEAM education and gardening; exploring new home in northern Colorado.