Gavin Wood
Co-Founder & CEO
Gavin Wood has been a STEM educator for 17 years and holds a Masters in Education. His focus on engineering for social good, design-thinking, and developing an ecosystem of innovation with his students has earned him numerous recognitions, including the FIRST Robotics Woodie Flowers Finalist Award, the ITEEA Teacher Excellence Award, and the Lawrence W. Prakken Professional Cooperation Award.
As the STEAM Director for The Barstow School in Kansas City, Wood designs curriculum that reinforces user-centered design and the “empathy” part of the Engineering Design process. In his role as head coach of a world-championship level FIRST Robotics team (FRC Team 1939), Wood developed a global partnership with GoBabyGo, which creates adaptive technology to help children with mobility challenges. Wood founded and operates an online forum (www.gbgconnect.com), connecting families in need with GoBabyGo chapters worldwide, and provides how-to manuals to teach others how to make adaptive technology for children in their communities.
To encourage more STEM programs to incorporate adaptive technology projects into their curriculum, Wood and his wife, Andrea, collaborated with ITEEA on the creation and launch of REACH Challenge, an impactful Adaptive & Assistive Technology design-thinking project for middle school, high school, and college students.
Andrea Wood
Co-Founder & COO
Andrea Wood is an award-winning journalist, graphic designer, and former newspaper editor, who received her degree in Public Relations and Graphic Design from the University of Central Missouri. She currently serves as the President of the UCM Student Publications Board, and Secretary of the UCM Digital Media Production Advisory Board, mentoring college students entering a variety of communication fields.
Wood’s passion for mentorship has impacted students from elementary school through college. In her favorite role, as a mom, Wood has been a Room Parent and coordinator for seven years. For 10 years, Wood has volunteered as a mentor for several FIRST Robotics teams. Her work with FRC Team 1939 helped guide the team to earn three NASA-sponsored Engineering Inspiration Awards and two Chairman’s Awards. Wood also helps coordinate and facilitate the team’s partnership with GoBabyGo!
Inspired by these experiences, Wood and her husband, Gavin, co-founded Iterate Innovations LLC, to assist and support a variety of STEM education endeavors, including collaborating with ITEEA on the launch of REACH Challenge.
Questions? Contact Andrea today at [email protected]