Request Info

The Advisory Board

Leaders in the country have been assembled to make up the Learning Blade Advisory Board. The board is designed to provide active guidance in the development and adoption of Learning Blade. The board will contribute by advising the team on strategy, partnerships and curriculum development.


The Board is chaired by former Congressman Zach Wamp.

Congressman Zach Wamp

Former Congressman Zach Wamp will serve as the Chair of the Advisory Board and assist in the adoption of Learning Blade. The Congressman served the people of Tennessee for 16 years in the US House where he was Ranking Member of the subcommittee that funds military installations worldwide and veterans programs. He chaired the House policy committee on Energy, co-chaired the Renewable Energy Caucus for 10 years and served 14 years on the House Appropriations committee. Congressman Wamp founded the Tennessee Valley Technology Corridor and was credited with much of the economic development success of the region now known for Sustainability and Advanced Technology including the Gigabit deployment and connectivity to the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. He was an original co-sponsor of the American Competes legislation advancing STEM education initiatives throughout the United States and was selected to close the debate on the House floor for this landmark legislation. He owns and operates Zach Wamp Consulting.

The additional board members are:

Dr. Tim Anderson, Distinguished Professor

Department of Chemical Engineering
University of Florida
Former editor for the Journal of STEM Education and has over 80 publications in engineering education and is a Fellow of the American Society for Engineering Education.
Florida

Jamai Blivin, President

Innovate+Educate
Leader of promoting the integration STEM education in K-12 through partnerships with industry and serves as the CEO for New Mexico’s STEM Network and was a leader of the US News STEM Solutions Conference 2011
New Mexico

Dr. Dean Evasius, Vice President

Director of Science Education Programs
Oak Ridge Associated Universities
Supporting STEM education programs in all 50 states
Former senior advisor and Director for National Science Foundation
Tennessee

Jennifer McNelly , President

The Manufacturing Institute
National Association of Manufacturers

Named one of the inaugural 100 Women Leaders in STEM, a creator of the NAM-Endorsed Manufacturing Skills Certification System and served as a member of the Senior Executive Service (SES) for the U.S. Department of Labor
Washington D.C.

Dr. William J. Madia, Vice President for SLAC

Stanford University
Leader in research, development, and deployment of energy systems, served as Executive Vice President for Laboratory Operations at Battelle and received the Secretary of Energy’s Gold Award as well as DOE’s Distinguished Associate Award
California

Dr. Merrilea J. Mayo

Lead Strategist, New Options
Founder, Mayo Enterprises, LLC

Completed projects for NASA’s Office of the Administrator and the Kellogg Foundation, possesses expertise in video-game-based learning, educational virtual worlds, and cell-phone-delivered learning with many publications
Maryland

Darlene M. Miller, President/CEO

Permac Industries
President’s Council on Jobs and Competiveness

2008 U. S. Chamber Small Business of the Year winner and 2006 U. S. Chamber Small Business Person of the Year, Business Partner in the creation of National Right Skills Now
Minnesota

Dr. Elaine Swafford - Director and Principal

Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy
Served as Vice President of Chattanooga State Community College,  Area Superintendent for Hamilton County Schools and the Executive Principal at Howard School
Tennessee

Daniel A. Traynor , SVP & Chief Information Officer

Tennessee Valley Authority
Recognized by Computerworld Magazine as a Premier 100 IT Leader for 2012 and Outstanding Industrial and Systems Engineering Alumnus by Auburn University
Tennessee