Pendred (Penny) Noyce is a doctor, educator, writer and publisher. She studied biochemistry at Harvard and medicine at Stanford, then completed a residency in internal medicine in Minnesota. She moved to the Boston area, where she practiced at a community health center for several years. From 1993-2002, Penny helped lead a statewide math and science improvement effort called PALMS in the state of Massachusetts. She gradually withdrew from medical practice to focus on her education work and on raising her five children.

From 1991-2015, Penny helped lead the Noyce Foundation, established in honor of her father, Robert Noyce, co-inventor of the integrated circuit and co-founder of Intel. The foundation focused on improving science education nationwide, especially by supporting afterschool science. As the foundation completed a planned spend-down in 2015, this work led to the establishment of STEM Next, a nonprofit that supports out-of-school science clubs and programs across the country. For nine years, Penny chaired the STEM Next board as the organization expanded its work across fifty states and reached 3 million children through its Million Girls Moonshot.

Penny has served on the boards of numerous non-profits, including the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, the Rennie Center for Education Research and Policy, TERC, the Libra Foundation of Maine, the Concord Consortium, the Consortium for Mathematics and Its Applications and the AAAS public Outreach Committee. For five years, she served on the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.

As her older children set off for college, Penny began writing for middle-grade children. She has written seven books in the Galactic Academy of Science series along with four other novels for ages 9-13. Besides novels, she has written one picture book, nonfiction books on bridges, inventors, and historical women of science, and most recently a graphic novel about responses to climate change. She co-leads an NSF-funded project that teaches youth in afterschool settings about epidemiology and data, and another that provides Maine middle school students with a three-week curriculum on puffin restoration, including an introduction to artificial intelligence.

Dr. Jan Mokros is a developmental psychologist and Lead Researcher at Tumblehome, where she is the Principal Investigator for two NSF-funded projects. Her projects focus on how youth learn about data in out-of-school settings. Jan’s work with data science education introduces youth to a range of scientific topics including Lyme disease, sports injuries, COVID, and puffins. She has conducted substantial research and has authored numerous publications on how children understand data and statistical ideas. Jan also has authored three books, including one for museum educators on incorporating math into exhibits and programs, one for parents on exploring math in everyday life, and one for elementary teachers on approaches to teaching math. She has been involved as a writer and researcher for the math curriculum developed by TERC, Investigations in Number, Data and Space.

Jan is a life-long runner, and still participates in occasional races. She lives in Brunswick Maine much of the time, where she is privileged to observe birds, tidal movement, and the changing seasons whenever she walks and runs. She is involved in local politics that focuses on environmental issues.

Dr. Jacob Sagrans is a researcher, educator, data analyst, and musician working in K–12 STEM education, with a focus on data science. In his work as Senior Research Associate at Tumblehome, he supports research, implementation, and administration of programs for middle school youth, and designs and leads professional development for educators. Currently, Jacob is involved in the NSF-funded COVID-Inspired Data Science Education through Epidemiology (CIDSEE) and Puffins projects. In 2023, Jacob graduated with a master’s in data analytics from Northeastern University’s Roux Institute in Portland, Maine. Prior to entering STEM education in 2019, Jacob received a BA in music from Grinnell College and a PhD in musicology from McGill University, and worked as an adjunct music history instructor for several years. He is a lifelong classical singer, and brings his musical background to his work on data sonification.

Cynthia Platt is an editor, writer, and educator who combines all three of those areas in her work at Tumblehome. She spent more than twenty years in the publishing industry editing books for companies such as Candlewick Press and the former trade division at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, where she specialized in STEM nonfiction for children. In addition, she has taught both high school and undergraduate college English and writing and is the author of numerous books for young readers of all ages. She holds a BA in English literature and language from Harvard University, and got her master of fine arts degree in creative writing from Lesley University, where she is now on faculty as well. All of these experiences brought her to Tumblehome, where her interest in STEM learning drives her work in support of curriculum for middle school youth.

Deja Foster is a dedicated Grants Administrator at Tumblehome Inc., bringing over four years of expertise in grant writing, project management, and strategic funding initiatives. With a strong background in education and the nonprofit sectors, Deja specializes in securing funding that supports innovative programs and fosters community engagement.

Her career spans securing over $100,000 in grant funding for various initiatives, cultivating relationships with funders, and streamlining grant management processes. Deja’s ability to merge persuasive storytelling with meticulous research allows her to craft compelling grant proposals that align with Tumblehome’s mission.

Holding a Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Massachusetts Boston and a Grant Writing Certification from the same institution, she is committed to driving impactful projects through resource development. Her expertise in facilitating partnerships, managing donor outreach, and optimizing organizational structures makes her a valuable asset to the Tumblehome team.

Beyond her work in grants administration, Deja is deeply committed to holistic wellness and education. In her free time, she actively explores and trains in various wellness modalities, including breathwork, yoga, and trauma-informed healing practices. With a passion for empowering youth, she aspires to develop a global wellness curriculum designed for ages 10-18, integrating mindfulness, movement, and emotional well-being to create accessible healing spaces for young people worldwide.