Meet the Exchange
Leading a sector-wide effort to tackle collective action problems in education starting with edtech purchasing and implementation.
Leading a sector-wide effort to tackle collective action problems in education starting with edtech purchasing and implementation.
We help educators make evidence-informed decisions about edtech tools and how to effectively and equitably implement them in their learning spaces.
Founded in 2018, we are a nonprofit structured as a public charity funded entirely through grants from a growing list of funders, including the University of Virginia School of Education, Strada Education Network, Carnegie Corporation of New York, and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.
Our team is made of a community of educators, edtech experts, and district decision-makers committed to coming together to solve our shared problem: a lack of information about what edtech works where and why.
Stephanie Loeck is Managing Director of the EdTech Evidence Exchange, bringing a unique background of development, strategy, and communications experience to InnovateEDU. Most recently, Stephanie served as Vice President of Partnerships at America Succeeds where she focused on engaging business leaders in modernizing education systems through state policy advocacy and national initiatives, including Durable Skills and Age of Agility. Previously, she worked in a variety of technology startups, as a marketing consultant, and in economic development for a chamber of commerce. Stephanie is active in several boards, including the CAPS Network Advisory and CompTIA’s National Career and Technical Education Council, where she helps champion the expansion of authentic, career-connected learning experiences aligned to the ever-changing future of work. Based in Denver, she enjoys spending time outside with her partner and basset hound.
Amber Fowler is the Project Associate at EdTech Evidence Exchange.
She graduated from Morgan State University with a BS in Psychology and a minor in Biology. Before joining the team, she worked as a College Access Advisor in an inner-city public school, where she educated underserved communities about post-secondary opportunities. Amber is passionate about providing educational opportunities to underserved populations. As a Project Associate, she will continue to drive the effort to use technology to make a positive impact on education.
Brian Wright is currently an assistant professor and Director of Undergraduate Programs in the School of Data Science at the University of Virginia. Prior to this appointment he was the Director of George Washington University’s Graduate Data Science programs and served as a faculty member teaching Machine Learning, Introduction to Data Science, and Capstone courses on an annual basis. Brian also co-founded George Washington University’s Data Science Institute. Prior to joining George Washington University, he organized and lead interdisciplinary teams of researchers at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville as the Assistant Director of the National Defense Business Institute, a government-oriented institute that focused on applying advanced analytical techniques for federal clients. Brian also worked for the DoD as a consultant and federal employee for almost 10 years. His research focuses on the intersection between Data Science and Education with an emphasis on student success. Throughout his work in both academia and the private sector, he has endeavored to promote a foundation of scientific research methodologies as best practices when approaching data-intensive problems.
Erin Mote is the Executive Director and Co-Founder of InnovateEDU. In this role, Erin leads the organization and its major projects including technology product development, work on data interoperability and data systems, and an urban education Fellowship for new educators. She leads the organization’s work on creating uncommon alliances to create systems change – in special education, talent development, and data modernization. An enterprise architect, she created, alongside her team, two of InnovateEDU’s signature technology products – Cortex, a next-generation personalized learning platform, and Landing Zone – a cutting-edge infrastructure as a service data product.
Luke Swarthout is the Chief of Staff at InnovateEDU. Previously as the Director of Policy for the New York Public Library’s Digital Team, Luke focused on the digital transformation of the institution and the library sector. He was NYPL’s Director of Adult Education and oversaw the expansion of adult literacy, English language instruction, technology training and digital equity initiatives to tens of thousands of New Yorkers. Luke served as a Senior Education Advisor on the Senate HELP Committee between 2009 and 2011 where he handled postsecondary education policy for two Committee Chairmen. He began his career at U.S. PIRG, advocating for greater college access and affordability on behalf of college students. Luke is a founding board member of the National Digital Inclusion Alliance and a graduate of New York City public schools, Amherst College and Princeton University.
The time has come to give the education professionals the mechanism, shared language, incentives, and support they need to document their work for the common good.
We know that the effectiveness of technology in the classroom depends on a constellation of factors, from school culture to technical capacity to support from school and district leadership.