Meet the Experts Who Develop Our STEM Education Programs
To fulfill our mission of making STEM education accessible and promoting innovation across the country, our education team collaborates with National Inventors Hall of Fame® Inductees to create new program curricula each year.
By integrating 21st-century learning with fun, hands-on activities, our team ensures that each STEM education program not only aligns with state and national education standards, but also provides the next generation of inventors with skills that last a lifetime.
Rachelle Albrechta
(Senior Curriculum Writer and Mentor)
Rachelle’s passion for the arts and sciences began when she was a child. Frequent trips to science and art museums and the theater, as well as visits to the biology lab where her father worked, all inspired her to pursue licensure in K-12 Visual Art Education. Rachelle holds both a B.F.A. in Art Education and an M.Ed. as a Gifted Intervention Specialist.
Matthew Carter
(Educational DEI Specialist)
Matthew holds an M.A. in both Curriculum and Instruction and Theological Studies, a B.A. in Organizational Communication and a certificate in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion from the University of South Florida. With 15 years of K-12 classroom and administration experience in diverse educational settings, he inspires students to think critically and creatively. He also enjoys Marvel, sports and spending time with family.
Jayme Cellitioci
(Creativity and Innovation Strategist)
Jayme is currently the only person in the U.S. who has earned the combination of a B.S. in Psychology/Biology, an M.S. in Creativity and Change Leadership and a professional certificate in Free-Choice Learning. Along with her multifaceted education, Jayme brings an exceptional passion for learning and creative problem solving to our team.
Ashley Giordano
(Education Tactician and Exhibit Content Specialist)
Ashley has an M.A. in History along with a Museum Studies Certificate from the University of Delaware. For more than five years, Ashley has worked in multiple educational roles and has developed programs, exhibits, digital assets and curricula for museums, libraries and other nonprofit organizations.
Rachel Hunt
(Curriculum Writer)
Rachel has a B.S. in Middle Childhood Education. She is licensed in Math and ELA for grades 4-9, and all four core subjects for grades 4-6. Rachel started her career at NIHF in Customer Relations, contributing to the accommodations team and providing crucial support to families. Rachel brings priceless firsthand experience as a Camp Invention Instructor, and she strives to empower all children to be world-changing innovators.
Katie Kirkpatrick
(Curriculum Writer)
Katie has a bachelor of arts degree in psychology and education, and is licensed to teach grades PreK-3. Prior to joining NIHF, Katie taught kindergarten in both Montessori and public school settings for more than 10 years. As a Camp Invention Instructor since 2016, Katie has often incorporated innovation and creativity into her classroom.
Emily Mitchell
(Curriculum Writer)
Emily is a creative writer who can take complex scientific research and turn it into engaging stories designed to spark imagination. With every program activity she writes, Emily’s goal is to tap into each student’s natural curiosity and provide them with an effective structure for investigation. She holds a B.S. in Advertising from Kent State University.
Alaina Rutledge
(Vice President of Education Research and Development)
Alaina leads our Education Team to consistently deliver effective, timely and inspiring curricula for each of our programs. She holds both an M.Sc. in Children’s Rights and a B.A. in Psychology. Before joining our team, Alaina studied educational methods in Europe, taught in a laboratory classroom and professionally researched worldwide education policies.
Jennifer Sitton
(Senior Curriculum Designer and Tactician)
Jennifer has a Ph.D. in Biology, specializing in Science Education, as well as an M.S. in Cell and Organismal Biology and a B.A. in Biopsychology. Applying this extensive expertise, Jennifer has taught fellow science educators. With her blend of technical and creative writing skills, she develops immersive, effective STEM-based content for our programs.