Meet the Production Team

Debbie Kray

Debbie Kray has focused her career on informal learning and building creative connections to spark curiosity and lifelong learning. Her passion and interest in the arts, museums, cultures, and how we learn, have led to a variety of experiences in Museum Education. Debbie has enjoyed over twenty years in Museum Education and Exhibit creation in Tacoma. She was the Curator of Education at Tacoma Art Museum, then went on serve as Education and Exhibit Director at the Children’s Museum of Tacoma for 13 years, building the new CMT location on Pacific Avenue, the Play to Learn program, and the Museum’s preschool program.Debbie is currently the Education Manager at LeMay-America’s Car Museum. She is also a guest lecturer on Museum Studies at UWT.

Jennifer Quinn

Jennifer Quinn is a professor of mathematics at the University of Washington Tacoma. She has held many positions of national leadership in mathematics including Executive Director of the Association for Women in Mathematics, co-editor of/Math Horizons/, Second Vice President of the Mathematics Association of America (MAA), and Officer-at-Large on the MAA Board of Directors. She is on the leadership team of the Tacoma STEAM Network and is beyond excited to bring a MiniMaker Faire to our region.

Chanel R. Hall

Chanel R. Hall is a proud woman of STEM. With a Master’s degree in Chemistry, Chanel has a passion for engaging with girls and students of color to expose them to the endless opportunities that STEM fields afford. Chanel is a lover of art, often going to ballets, painting at home, or visiting museums. One of Chanel’s favorite pastimes is finding new things on Pinterest such as cooking recipes or DIY home-projects to try. She hopes that the Tacoma South-Sound Mini Maker Faire will inspire people of all ages!

Jp Avila

Jp Avila is Associate Professor of Art & Design at Pacific Lutheran University where he teaches graphic design and works to blur the line between classroom and community through study abroad learning trips, student internships, and community-based learning projects.

Beyond the classroom, Jp is a freelance designer and has created visual novellas as part of his research on non-linear narrative structures. He has written articles about comics, sustainable design practices, and departmental leadership and provides consultations to other universities for departmental reviews and strategic planning.

Jp has served on boards and committees relating to the arts, culture, equity, diversity, and education policy. He currently serves as the Vice-President for the Board of the Directors of The Grand Cinema and is a board member of Hilltop Artists. He served nine years as chair of the Department of Art & Design at PLU.

Sharon A. Rivera, Ph.D.

Dr. Sharon Rivera earned her B.S. in chemistry from SUNY Purchase College in NY in 2003 and her Ph.D. in physical chemistry from Syracuse University in 2008. Sharon is currently the Director of the Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) Program at Tacoma Community College in Tacoma, Washington. An advocate for diversity, inclusion, equity, opportunity, and access in science and education, Sharon is on the board of directors for SafeFutures Youth Center in Seattle, the leadership team for the Graduate Tacoma STEAM Network, and earning her master’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from University of Washington, Tacoma.

Tiffany Y’vonne

Tiffany is a multipotentialite loving the beautiful Puget Sound as a transplanted local. By livelihood she is a Community Cultivation Practitioner recognized by the United Nations accredited International Association for Community Development. She holds two interdisciplinary degrees grounded in experiential learning, a certificate in Maker Education from the pioneering program at Sonoma State University and certification in Social Economic Environmental Design (SEED Methodology). Tiffany also serves on the 2019 Nation of Makers Conference Host Team (NOMCON). Formerly, she spearheaded the national Maker VISTA programs and projects at Maker Education Initiative, a nonprofit EdTech. She is a passionate learner who loves white papers, Maker Education, and bringing her designs to life in the woodshop. Her ideal teacher is the original Ms. Frizzle.