Forbes released its annual list of the "30 Under 30" in Education Monday morning, highlighting those who are "rethinking learning with the three Cs: code, college readiness and community impact." They're the incredibly talented, inspiring and influential go-getters whose achievements have helped propel the education industry forward.
Six of the 30 winners have ties to the D.C. area. Those chosen were vetted by a panel of accomplished leaders in their fields: Deborah Bial, founder of Posse Foundation; Stacey Childress, CEO of NewSchools Venture Fund; and David Coleman, CEO of The College Board. Check out how these outstanding individuals made a name for themselves below:
Amelia Castańeda – Center Director, Higher Achievement
This 29-year-old serves as Alexandria Center Director for Higher Achievement, an after-school and summer program dedicated to closing the opportunity gap for middle school youth in five cities. She was named a 2014 Latino Educator Champions of Change by the White House and was the first in her family to graduate high school and college. An alum of Virginia Tech, Castańeda decided to stick around the Commonwealth to help at-risk middle school students and their families graduate the program college-bound with the necessary skills they need to succeed.
Jess Gartner – CEO & Founder, Allovue
A former Baltimore teacher, Gartner used her education background to create Allovue's flagship product, Balance. The "Education Finance Suite" contains apps to analyze school budgets, identify trends over time, track and forecast expenditures and plan for future capital investments. The easy-to-understand financial data visualization allows K-12 administrators to connect education spending to student incomes and rid of misspending to redirect money to teaching and learning that works. The 28-year-old is an alum of Johns Hopkins University.
Maria Gabriela Pacheco – Program Director, The Bridge Project
As program director of The Bridge Project, Pacheco is working to bridge the political divide in D.C. so as to allow for greater college accessibility for immigrants. She has spent much of her twenties working for equal rights, spearheading groups fighting for in-state tuition for undocumented students and efforts that resulted in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program.
Abigail Seldin – VP, Innovation & Product Management, ECMC
One of the most incredible edtech leaders I've personally met in D.C., Seldin is a force to be reckoned with. Seldin is the founder of College Abacus, which is like a "Kayak.com" of financial aid. It's a one-stop comparison shop that allows students to identify and compare the net price of nearly 4,000 colleges nationwide. A successful venture, College Abacus was purchased by in June and Seldin was brought on by the buyer, student loan guarantor ECMC, to serve as VP of innovation and product management. Seldin is now operating out of D.C.
Lydia Fayal – Cofounder, AdmitSee
While AdmitSee headquarters is based in New York, Fayal earned her B.A. from a local institution: Johns Hopkins University. Fayal's claim to fame is AdmitSee, a crowd-sourced admissions resource for college and grad school admissions. Verified undergrad and grad students share their college application materials, which include test scores and personal statements, and are paid in return.
Matthew Wagner – Director, Office of the President, The College Board
Like Fayal, Wagner isn't currently stationed in the D.C. area, but he is connected to the region. A University of Maryland alum, this 27-year-old has been essential to both the development and implementation of the Common Core Standards and the controversial redesign of the SAT. He has a substantial background in higher education, as he formerly served as head of special projects at Student Achievement Partners.
