Matthew Carlson is a designer director, game designer and non-stop doodler. He’s launched products, ran workshops and filled whiteboards at Adobe, Twitter, Facebook and a half dozen studios and agencies before that. At Adobe his teams include the Creative Cloud Website, Search, Learn, Fonts, and his favorite drawing app, Adobe Fresco. He’s passionate about helping teams to envision the future - and unlock their creative potential - using any means necessary. In his spare time he designs fantasy role playing games for kids; drawing monsters, crafting stories and making maps. Matthew is part of the CDE-AME Advisory Group focused on writing curriculum standards for design education in California Public Schools.

Maurice Woods is the Executive Director/Founder of the Inneract Project, an organization dedicated to empowering Black, Latinx and underrepresented groups to pursue a career in design. He created the design education framework which serves as the program’s core curriculum, provides leadership, helps set organization and education policy and develops IP’s strategic vision. As a visual communication design graduate of the University of Washington (BFA and MFA), Maurice played basketball as an undergraduate and professionally worldwide for seven years before returning to the United States to focus on design. As a professional designer, his work experience spans over 25 years across advertising, a design agency, startup and large tech companies such as BSSP, Pentagram Design, and Yahoo and Microsoft. He has won numerous awards for design and community service as well as teaching and lectures nationally and internationally. Maurice has also contributed to various media outlets including the Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, Letterform Press Archives and UX Collective. He currently works as a Principal designer at Microsoft.

Tacy Trowbridge is a lifelong educator whose passion is inspiring learners, empowering them to develop essential skills, and helping them find their voice. She spent more than a decade leading initiatives for Adobe’s Global Education team, advocating for the importance of teaching creative and digital literacy skills, and recently hosting The Creative Educator Podcast. Tacy started her career as a teacher and tech coordinator in California schools, earned a master’s degree in Learning, Design and Technology, and then led learning and research initiatives at the University of California and Stanford.

Darlington, South Carolina native, Jacoby DuBose, got his start as a “Creative Engineer” at the prestigious Mayo High School for Math, Science, and Technology. His freshman, sophomore, and junior years DuBose completed dual enrollment courses at Mayo High and Florence-Darlington Technical College — focusing in the areas of Computer Science and Physics. With the help of his parents insisting he not graduate after his sophomore year, Jacoby discovered he could excel in engineering and the arts. He became a very accomplished jazz pianist — performing and recording with many top US R&B, hip- hop, and gospel artists. Though he only competed in track and field his senior year of high school, he became nationally ranked in the 110-Meter-High Hurdles and received an athletic scholarship to Howard University. DuBose wanted to major in Computer Science until a meeting with former General Motors executive, Edward T. Welburn, changed his mind. Welburn studied design, sculpture, and painting at Howard University and it led to him becoming Vice President of General Motors and having a successful career in film. Filled with inspiration from Welburn, Jacoby chose to major in Electronic Studio — a major that allowed him to combine his knowledge in Computer Science and Physics with his talent in music and film. Jacoby also earned All-MEAC, NCAA All East Region, NCAA All-American, and Howard University Track and Field MVP awards. After competing around the globe as a US Olympic Development Athlete for five years, DuBose took his talents to the classroom. He led distance learning teams, taught computer science and physics, and completed research at Old Dominion University, Hampton University, and the Governor’s School for Science and Technology in Hampton, Virginia. Teaching sparked his thirst for developing ideas and led DuBose to become a serial entrepreneur. He has served as Director of Virtual Programs and Innovation at the Cleveland Institute of Music and currently educates students as Professor of 3D Modeling and Animation at Howard University. Utilizing his skills as a film director, music composer, animator, and computer scientist, Jacoby is showing the World, Creative Engineers do not have to limit themselves to traditional career pathways.

Tamaira Sandifer, affectionately known as “Miss Tee” by thousands of youth nationwide, has spent more than 30 years immersed in the world of dance and youth advocacy. She has dedicated her life to being a champion for the development of every child, so they can build confidence, character & a conquering spirit that believes anything is possible. In 2005 she founded non-profit 3 Point 0 - Studio T Arts & Entertainment (formerly Studio T Urban Dance Academy) and many key culturally and socially relevant programs under its umbrella. Dance became her primary engagement tool-- a culturally relevant way for her to connect with diverse youth. Because many of the families Miss Tee and her teams serve face poverty, hunger, and a systematic lack of opportunity, she has made it her daily work to include financial education, life and social skills training, and entrepreneurship coupled with real-world skill development and enthusiastic empowerment. Her success in building this organization is a direct result of her own struggles and triumphs growing up in Richmond, CA to a single mom raising five siblings with no money for positive after school activities. As a former multi-generational welfare recipient, Miss Tee was determined to offer students the same tools that helped her and her family graduate from welfare - offering help with basic needs, family management training, and financial literacy strategies. As the creator of the distance learning platform-PassToClass.com and Side Hustle Academy, her impact exploded across the country serving 192,000 youth and 7,800 educators nationwide during the pandemic. To bring relief to small businesses, youth without jobs, and offset the impact of COVID shuts downs in her city, Sandifer built a Sacramento-based Social Media Production Studio to support local small businesses with digital content support during COVID while training youth apprentices in creative- based entrepreneurism: video production, photography, graphic design, event production (virtually and live), and social media management. Tamaira Sandifer is also the founder of California’s Day of Dance, a statewide dance celebration. Youth from different cultures and economic backgrounds clash, learn, and dance together on professional stages in Sacramento, CA, as well as honor dance legends and advocates with the “Dream Makers Awards”. California’s Day of Dance stands to become the first televised and streamed dance-only award show in 2022. She holds a chair position on the American for the Arts-Arts education council, and a board seat with California’s for the Arts. Her graduates have traveled the globe working with artists like: Justin Beiber, JLO, Jabbawokeez, Usher, Brittany Spears, Usher, Selena Gomez, Rihanna, Chris Brown, Ellen, and many others. Through Sandifer's work with the juvenile Youth Detention Facility, Studio T was honored with a 'Volunteer of the Year' Award in 2015. In 2021 this Sacramento-based youth advocate, philanthropist was recognized by Forbes Magazine among the inaugural For(bes) The Culture 50 Champions list "Introducing the Black and Brown leaders making the most impact through their capital, creativity, connections and commitment." Her influence on the Sacramento youth, national arts, and the creative economy is not only evident in the work that she is doing today, but will have a lasting impact through the many lives she's changed on her life journey. This mother of three beautiful children, grandma of two, and ‘momma Tee’ to many continues to set the public service bar high by volunteering at her church, actively supporting her community, and building a legacy of love through the arts.