Dr. Jerry D. Valadez is a Maker and President of the Community Science Workshop Network and CEO of the SAM Academy - non-profits providing underserved youth access to quality out-of-school STEM and Arts programs, and professional development for educators. He is a former science teacher, K-12 Science Coordinator, school/district administrator, and adjunct professor at Fresno State. He has served as director of major federal and state supported STEM initiatives and was also PI on NSF and DOE supported informal STEM programs. He is co-creator and PI of a congressional FIE award that created the Fresno Mobile Science Workshop. He is frequently involved at the state and national level on issues related to STEM education including appointments to several commissions and national advisory boards, including the California Science Expert Panel for NGSS, the National Academy Successful STEM Schools Advisory Committee, the Committee on Science Education, the Congressional Commission on STEM Education for the 21st Century, and the AAAS Project 2061 Phase II Panel. He is an active Board member of NSTA and was the 2017 Distinguished Informal Science Educator.