Please Thank Our Mentors

Jennifer is a software engineer with 10 years of experience working in IT. She received a bachelor of science degree from Trinity University in San Antonio, and has earned several IT certifications since graduating. Jennifer is passionate about teaching and learning new languages (especially programming languages), and she’s been teaching coding skills with our program since 2018. She's worked in IT supporting risk and compliance software. Prior to this, she supported accounting and finance software as a contractor with the Department of Defense. 

Some of her certifications include: CompTIA Security +, IC Agile Certified Professional (ICP), ITIL, and Oracle E-Business Suite Support Specialist. 

In her spare time, Jennifer enjoys teaching others. She has also taught English in both China and South Korea. 

Data Engineer | Python | SQL | Tableau | M.S. in ML & Signal Processing  

Hi there! I'm Vivek P, a data analytics professional with 6+ years of experience Electrical and Software Engineering (Southwest Research Insitute) and a Master's in Signal Processing and Machine Learning (Georgia Tech).

I'm passionate about data analytics, and creating data-driven strategies to tackle problems alongside domain experts, and have a proven track record of doing by so through designing and delivering space instrumentation software for scientists.

In my role at Southwest Research Institute, I wrote Flight Software and analyze space-flight data which my Flight Software delivers to scientists. I've also had the opportunity to improve the data quality and integrity of spectra data for the MASPEX mission on Europa-Clipper via A/B testing and spectra analysis.

My top skills include Data Science, Data Analysis and Visualization, Python, SQL, Tableau, C/C++, and Linux/Unix, and I'm always looking for opportunities to develop my expertise. I recently completed Masters in Electrical and Computer from Georgia Tech (specialized in Signal Processing), which has helped me gain a better understanding in Machine Learning, Fourier Analysis, Hypothesis Testing, Dimensionality Reduction, Optimization, Deep Learning, and Digital Signal Processing.

When I'm not working, I enjoy making the absolute best cup of chai you've ever had, cooking, running, and being with my family and pet dogs. If you're interested in connecting or learning more about my work, feel free to send me a message. 

Alex teaches graduate data science courses at UT Health San Antonio and does research on healthy aging and quality improvement using electronic health records and claims data. During Dr. Alex's Ph.D. training in physiology, he delved further into statistics and bioinformatics. He went on to do post-doctoral training in the Department of Population Health Sciences at The UT Health. He worked after hours to complete a second post-graduate degree, an M.S. in Applied Statistics. His cross-disciplinary training, further augmented by over a decade of practical programming and database experience, gives him the unique ability to help bridge the gap between biology, statistics, and scientific computing, helping facilitate more powerful experimental design, valid statistical analysis, and biologically relevant interpretation of results. In January 2014, he transitioned the Clinical Informatics Research Division where he built a flagship EMR data warehouse and, as Deputy Chief, helped Directors build a top-notch biomedical informatics team.  The Collaborative is excited to have Dr. B teach our students!

APEX Developer at Oracle: I'm adept at identifying problems in complex interconnected systems and producing solutions in highly agile, fast-paced environments. The opportunity to be creative that software development generates is a reservoir of inspiration for me. I independently seek out opportunities to expand my knowledge in technology to bring deep understanding and fresh ideas to the team.

Clifton Top 5 Strengths: Ideation, Restorative, Strategic, Intellection and Individualization. 

Sharon is a Senior Software Engineer who's passionate about Data Analytics, Data modeling, and creating simplistic, efficient solutions.   She has Front end as well as back end SAP BW/BI experience with extensive application development experience in multiple software languages. She is able to identify problem areas and implement efficient and effective solutions to meet corporate goals. She is a fast learner and work well in team environments. 

Rockstar STEM Lab teacher with technical superpower.  Over time I have had the great opportunity to instruct a diverse groups of elementary and middle school students, and as I result, I have developed highly effective teaching strategies to foster engagement and the appreciation of a growing and safe environment for all students. With the accompaniment of a behavioral specialist certification I am better able to service my students on a education as well as a deeper emotional level to really understand their social emotional needs. The overall goal of behavioral coaching is to help individuals increase their effectiveness and happiness at work, study and/or in a social setting which can be a valuable asset to any school.

One of my greatest strengths as an educator is meeting each student’s individual needs and developing personal consideration for each one of them. My ultimate goal is to make sure to create an environment everyday in my classroom to which all students can feel safe to learn, because all students CAN learn.
Over time I have had the great opportunity to instruct a diverse groups of elementary and middle school students, and as I result, I have developed highly effective teaching strategies to foster engagement and the appreciation of a growing and safe environment for all students. With the accompaniment of a behavioral specialist certification I am better able to service my students on a education as well as a deeper emotional level to really understand their social emotional needs. The overall goal of behavioral coaching is to help individuals increase their effectiveness and happiness at work, study and/or in a social setting which can be a valuable asset to any school. One of my greatest strengths as an educator is meeting each student’s individual needs and developing personal consideration for each one of them. My ultimate goal is to make sure to create an environment everyday in my classroom to which all students can feel safe to learn, because all students CAN learn.  

Jennifer Edmonds-Jones is founder and executive director of Bridges: Creating Artistic Community a newly formed arts service organization in San Antonio. Bridges' mission is to create artistic communities through cultivation of existing infrastructures, expansion of arts access, and modeling of a collaborative artistic culture. Bridges partners with artists, organizations, and community leaders on new and developing projects to artistically serve the community.

As an educator, choreographer, mentor, coordinator, parent, and now founder, the goal of my work is to utilize existing or newly created safe environments to support and encourage vulnerability, trust, self awareness, spatial awareness, universal awareness and connection resulting in uninhibited self expression. 

Dante Jones is a retired Navy language analyst who will soon receive an Associates of Applied Science in Mechatronics. He is the founder of the R.O.L.L. Models SATX Leadership Program, which teaches youths life skills and life lessons while conducting activities that involve rolling. Dante went so far as to graduate from the welding program at South Texas Vocational Technical Institute, so that he could teach children how to fabricate/customize bicycles from scratch. He is currently working at Southwest Research Institute as an electronics technician, and looks forward to learning new skills in order to be able to create anything that he can dream up...and Dante dreams BIG! He lives by the motto, "If you can see it in your mind, you can hold it in your hand." and can frequently be heard repeating the NIkola Tesla quote, "If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration."