Nicol Howard, PhD is a dynamic, passionate educator, who has taught at the high school level (9th – 12th grades and Special Education) in the Compton Unified School District and grades K through 4 in the Corona-Norco Unified District and the Santa Ana Unified School District (SAUSD). Nicol is a Program Specialist (Personalized/Blended Learning) in the Learning Innovation with Technology department at SAUSD. Dr. Howard is also an Adjunct Professor at Chapman University and a leader on the board of the ISTE Digital Equity PLN. Her past and present experiences, along with the notion of equity in education (specifically achievement), influence her commitment as an educator, researcher, tech enthusiast, learner, and educational writer. In higher education, Nicol has facilitated multiple courses in teacher education related to technology, learning theories, and research methods. Her personal research interests are in the effective use of technology in K12 education and equity issues in STEM Education. Nicol’s concern for certain inequities in education and her research projects have led to publications in educational journals, such as the EDUCAUSE Review and the Urban Education Journal. She has written for Edutopia and Corwin Connect, and her co-authored book (Standing in the Gap: Empowering New Teachers through Connected Resources) will be released in August 2015.