S2 EP12 Revolutionizing Computer Science Education: The Impact of WeLead CS and ILEAD Academy with Alicia Sells

PODCAST Season 2 EPISODE 12 Alicia SellsCEO, We Lead CS, IncQuote of the Podcast – "Nothing is impossible. The word itself says I'm possible" - Audrey HepburnIntroduction of Guest BIO – Alicia Sells is the CEO of We Lead CS, Inc. She worked with the Kentucky General Assembly to establish the We Lead CS Virtual Computer Science Career Academy to increase Kentucky’s competitiveness in the tech economy and significantly expand Kentucky’s capacity to prepare high school students for the tech workforce. We Lead CS offers Kentucky high school students a jumpstart on computer science degrees and opportunity to prepare for the workforce with some of America’s leading tech employers. In 2014, Alicia founded iLEAD Academy - Kentucky's first regional high school serving students from five rural counties. iLEAD prepares students for careers in America’s highest demand STEM jobs. More than 75% of iLEAD’s graduates have earned an associate degree in high school and headed out into the world with industry certifications and the skills needed to succeed in the workplace. Alicia is a 36-year public policy veteran. She has served as the Vice President of Government Relations at the University of Louisville and the lead lobbyist for the Kentucky School Boards Association. She was the Press Secretary and Communications Director for the Mayor in Louisville, Kentucky. She is an alum of Stanford University's Design Thinking for Social Systems Fellowship Program and a proud graduate of Western Kentucky University.InterviewAgents of Change: Leaders/Innovators 30,000 Ft. View – Why so we, as a society invest in education?What drew you to education?Why Kentucky should prepare students for the tech workforce.How virtual learning can increase access to Career and Technical Education and employers in students' areas of interest.What are the biggest challenges to you?What would you like decision makers to know?Support the showEducation Perspectives is edited by Shashank P athttps://www.fiverr.com/saiinovation?source=inboxIntro and Outro by Dynamix Productions