Our Team
At the GenTech Foundation, our strength lies in the dedication and expertise of our team. We are a diverse group of educators, industry professionals, and community leaders, all united by a common goal: to transform education and prepare Arizona’s youth for the future workforce through real-world tech education.
Motivation Behind The Mission
Arizona’s booming tech industry is growing rapidly, but there’s a major workforce gap that threatens its future. Tech jobs increased by 3% in early 2024 and are projected to grow by 9%, adding over 20,000 new positions to the state’s economy (Arizona Technology Q1 2024 Industry Impact Report). Despite this growth, workforce shortages are hampering companies’ ability to expand their operations and economic impact (Arizona Capitol Times, July 2024).
Governor Katie Hobbs has recognized this challenge, launching the Talent Ready AZ Initiative to connect Arizonans with the education and training needed to fill these growing industry needs (Office of the Governor: Katie Hobbs, September 2024). According to the Office of Economic Opportunity, Arizona’s job growth rate will outpace the national average by more than three times (May 2024 Report).
Our motivation is to bridge this gap by providing comprehensive, real-world tech education to all students in Arizona, ensuring they are ready to meet the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow’s workforce.
Our Vision
Every child in Arizona should have equal access to real-world STEM education. Our goal is to ensure kids in underserved communities have the same opportunities to learn STEM; Science, Technology, Engineering and Math for the jobs of tomorrow and to become tomorrow’s innovators and leaders in the workforce. With a strong foundation in STEM, all kids will have the tools they need to build brighter futures for themselves and contribute to Arizona’s growing tech economy.
Board Members
Dalton Abbitt, Executive Director
Michael Wilson, Board Member
Debbie Kovesdy, Board Member
Richie Edwards, Board Member
Kathy Donaldson, Board Member
Margery Simchak, Board Member
GenTech Teacher Development
The GenTech Foundation provides comprehensive job training for low-income college and high school students aspiring to become STEM educators. Our program includes initial training in teaching pedagogy, classroom management, behavioral management, and various tech skills such as coding, 3D printing, and robotics. After this training, instructors undergo a semester or year-long hands-on teaching experience in the classroom, receiving feedback from qualified instructors to prepare them for future teaching roles.
Dual Impact for Schools
The GenTech Foundation creates a dual impact by partnering with schools to both address the teacher shortage and provide critical STEM education to students from low-income backgrounds. Our program recruits and trains aspiring educators from underserved communities, preparing them with the skills and classroom experience they need to become certified CTE (Career and Technical Education) teachers. At the same time, we equip these schools with the resources and technology necessary for a successful STEM program. This approach not only meets the immediate need for qualified educators but also ensures that students in these communities have access to hands-on, future-focused tech education. By focusing on both instructors and students, we are driving long-term workforce development while directly improving educational outcomes in underserved Arizona schools.”