Paula Gangopadhyay, Chief Learning Officer
Paula is the chief learning officer for The Henry Ford. She brings more than 19 years of experience from the cultural, education, policy and business sectors. She is heavily involved in several state and national professional organizations and serves as a thought-leader and speaker on innovation-related dialogues and forums. President Barack Obama appointed Gangopadhyay as a member of the National Board of Museums and Libraries for a four-year term in 2012. She is the recipient of the 2012 American Alliance of Museums (AAM) EdCom Award for Excellence in Practice, 2013 Community Leader Award from the India League of America, the 2014 Michigan Informal Educator of the Year from the Science Teacher’s Association and 2014 Faraday Communicator Award from the National Science Teacher’s Association.
Chris Hemler, Manager of Education and Learning Programs
Chris is the manager of education and learning programs for The Henry Ford. He is responsible for managing the overall day-to-day execution of education and learning programs, products and services. He works on special educational initiatives and prototypes and serves as the departmental liaison for public programs for all venues, as well as other institutional events and youth and family programs. Chris graduated from the University of Detroit Mercy with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Studies Education and is completing work on his Master of Arts in History from Oakland University. Prior to joining The Henry Ford, Chris taught middle school social studies and served as the director of the school’s award-winning Social Studies Olympiad program. In his spare time, Chris serves as the Executive Director of Ben’s Encore, an organization that provides opportunities for aspiring musicians and music education in Metro Detroit.
Catherine Tuczek, Curator of School Programs
Catherine is the curator of school programs for The Henry Ford. She is responsible for content development, review and upgrades for school programs and resources, curriculum alignment for all school programs and representing The Henry Ford for local and regional education groups. As the departmental liaison with historical resources, she helps plan exhibits, experiences and digitization. She is also the departmental coordinator for college interns. A former high school teacher, Catherine has a Master of Arts degree in Historical Administration from Eastern Illinois University and a Bachelor of Arts in Education from the University of Michigan. In her free time, Catherine serves as the President of the Friends of the Birmingham Historical Museum.
Phil Grumm, Curator of Digital Learning
Phil is the curator of digital learning for The Henry Ford. He is responsible for developing and coordinating digital onsite and online learning tools. He works with several departments across the institution to continuously update the learning websites, like OnInnovation.com, manages content creation for the OnLearning enthusiast channel, and creates digital learning experiences onsite and online. Phil holds a Master of Arts in Historical Administration from Eastern Illinois University and a Bachelor of Arts in History with a minor in City and Regional Planning from Grand Valley State University. In his free time, he actively participates in several online gaming communities, often times beta testing new upcoming titles and has a budding interest in 3D printing.
Jessica Rodriguez, Curator of Learning, Innovation Learning Accelerator
Jessica is the curator of learning for the Innovation Learning Accelerator (ILA) project. Jessica is responsible for coordinating all aspects of our first year launch of ILA including helping with recruitment, teacher training, offering follow-up and teacher support, administering evaluations, planning workshop logistics and maintaining communication with the participants before, during and after the first year implementation. Jessica graduated from Oakland University with a Bachelor of Arts in English. Prior to joining The Henry Ford, Jessica served as a Family Literacy Coordinator, Early Learning Communities Hub Coordinator, and Adult Educator at Southwest Counseling Solutions. In her roles, she developed curriculum and programs, planned and executed events and programs for adults and youth, and worked on various aspects of grant administration and reporting. She has also served on both the Operations and Curriculum committees for the United Way for Southeastern Michigan’s Early Childhood Initiatives.
Stacey Simmons, Associate Curator of Education and Learning
Stacey is the associate curator of education and learning for the Henry Ford. She is responsible for coordinating education related events and workshops, conducting internal programmatic evaluations, facilitating workshops, and maintaining educator networks. Stacey joins The Henry Ford with plenty of experience working with cultural institutions, including the Detroit Institute of Arts and the Cranbrook Art Museum. She promoted and serviced DIA school and educator programs by launching communication networks with educators. At Cranbrook, Stacey facilitated hands-on projects and art discussions as a museum liaison between artists and visitors. In her spare time, Stacey designs innovative retail displays and creative special events. She graduated from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor with a BA in English.
Alison Hass, Education Coordinator, Davidson Education Project
Alison is the education coordinator for the Davidson Education Project, a collaboration between The Henry Ford and the Henry Ford Innovation Institute, part of the Henry Ford Health System. This project encourages middle and high school students to innovate in the field of digital health. Alison serves as a liaison among the project’s stakeholders and helps facilitate the visioning stages of the project. She is responsible for assisting with curriculum development, teacher training, and project follow-up. Alison taught in Madison District Public Schools, Madison Heights, MI, and at PS 372 and PS 503 in Brooklyn, NY. She’s also interested in instructional design for e-Learning, event coordinating, and best practices in literacy and math instruction at the elementary level. Alison holds a BA in French and English from Albion College and an MA in Elementary Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. Alison likes to geek out on board games, especially Scrabble, Ticket to Ride, and Settlers of Catan.
