Ann Hanks
Senior Product Manager of Higher Education Physics & Engineering
CPD
It’s hard to single out only a few milestones and achievements from Ann’s 33+ years of working in PASCO’s Product Development Department! Ann has been integral to the release of the Smart Cart accessories, 850 Universal Interface, and PASCO Capstone Software. Read more »
Ann graduated from Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, California, with a Bachelor of Science in Physics and a minor in History of Science and Technology. She earned her Masters of Science in Physics from Montana State University in Bozeman, and taught at American River College as a physics professor for 25 years. Her expertise makes her a valuable asset to the PASCO team!
In her spare time, Ann goes landsailing on the dry lake beds in Nevada, where she’s worked out the physics of landsailing by taking measurements of relative wind speed and sailer speed using our own PASCO sensors. She also enjoys practicing nature and wildlife photography, knitting, playing the clarinet, and writing mysteries. « Read Less
Roger Palmer
Product Manager of Chemistry, Biology, Environmental Science, & STEM
CPD
Roger is the Chemistry Product Manager here at PASCO, but his love for science and teaching expands to areas beyond only chemistry. During his time at PASCO, he’s enjoyed configuring kits and bundles for several subjects and grade levels. Read More »
He has designed and improved products like the UV-Vis spectrometer, and contributing to the Greenhouse Sense and Control Kit and Photosynthesis Chamber. Finally, he has led the integration of GIS mapping into our field sensors for earth and environmental science courses.
Roger earned a Bachelor of Chemistry and eventually a Master of Chemistry from the University of North Dakota. Roger began his teaching career at the local high school thereafter, where he published five papers on topics including aromatic compounds and transition metals.
He spent the next ten years teaching as well as coordinating professional development in his district as the president of the North Dakota Science Teachers Association. Moving to Dallas, Roger taught in and chaired the science department for another 18 years. He has written scores of lessons and labs for national curricular offerings, several articles for trade magazines, and published several textbooks on integrating technology into education.
During his time off, Roger and his wife make frequent visits to Costa Rica where they’ve set up a lot on the South Pacific Coast to help the local community address conservation goals. He also enjoys biking there, playing piano and harmonica, and gardening. « Read Less
Jonathan Hanna
Product Manager of High School Physics
CPD
Jonathan Hanna is the High School Physics Product Manager at PASCO, where he leads the design and development of new innovations for physics education. Read more »
Prior to his current role, Jonathan wrote user guides for PASCO products, developed the software Help Guides, and co-authored PASCO curriculum, such as the Essential Physics textbook and Advanced Physics 2 Through Inquiry Lab Manual.
Jonathan has led countless trainings and workshops for physics educators around the globe, combining his years of teaching experience with his deep knowledge of PASCO products. During his time in the classroom, Jonathan taught both High School Physics and AP Physics, and he played a central role in developing a curriculum guide and assessments for his school district.
Jonathan earned a BS in Physics from the University of California, Santa Cruz and a Secondary Teaching Credential from San Jose State University, where he was a recipient of the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship.
In his spare time, Jonathan enjoys listening to classical and jazz, playing piano, reading about music theory, history, and science history, and spending time outside with his wife and two daughters. « Read Less
Heidi Brennan
Curriculum Manager
CPD
Heidi’s work is crucial to PASCO’s growth and success. Her favorite contribution, however, was working on the //code.Node kit labs and co-authoring the book, “Coding to Learn,” which was later translated by our Czech Republic partners for their utilization. Read more »
Heidi earned her bachelor’s degree from Florida Gulf Coast University in K-6 Elementary Education and Teaching, and went on to earn her master’s degree in Educational Leadership and Administration. She worked four years with the Florida Department of Education as the Science/Mathematics/STEM Specialist, where she served as the state director for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST), as well as the lead trainer for the Floria STEMposium, a program developed to offer teachers resources for meeting challenging content standards. Heidi also managed the Math and Science Partnership federal grants program (MSP) which served countless teachers and students state-wide. Prior to her move to California to work for PASCO, she also worked as the Professional Development and Leadership Specialist in Lee County, bringing excitement to STEM fields and providing opportunities for family engagement across 20 school sites a year.
When she’s not working, Heidi loves to kayak, be outdoors, and attend concerts–she attended ten concerts and two music festivals in 2023 alone! « Read Less
Barbara Pugliese
Sr. Curriculum & Training Developer
CPD
Barbara is the co-author of PASCO’s Essential Chemistry textbook, a complete curriculum for General, Honors, AP®, and IB® courses with a full year of instruction. She was also an editor for the Essential Chemistry lab book. Read more »
Further, Barbara has authored labs and videos for new products (both hardware and software), and has helped train new users on PASCO Academy both domestically and internationally. Barbara completed her Bachelor of Science degree in biology from California State Polytechnical University in Pomona, California. She then went on to earn her Master of Arts in Educational Technology, as well as her Certificate in Instructional Technology.
Prior to PASCO, Barbara worked as a teacher for 15 years in California, Arizona, and Utah. She primarily taught Chemistry, but also taught classes in Environmental Science, Earth Science, Oceanography, Biology, and Technology. One of her favorite memories is when her students participated in a citizen science program tagging Monarch butterflies; she also notes the time she created a Python-based particle model app that modeled real-time water molecule behavior at different states based on live temperature sensor data, including behavior during phase changes.
When she’s not experimenting or training educators, Barbara enjoys being outside as much as possible! She participates in birdwatching, backpacking, hiking, snowboarding, snowshoeing, and biking. « Read Less
Chris Hale
Technical Writer
Engineering
Chris Hale works as a technical writer for PASCO, working on documents from individual product instruction manuals to help sites to the full revision of the massive AC/DC Electronics Laboratory manual. Read more »
Chris attended Reed College in Portland, Oregon, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Physics. Before his employment at PASCO, Chris taught Conceptual Physics to 10th through 12th grade students in the Bay Area.
Chris enjoys playing PC games and reading science fiction and fantasy novels in his free time. « Read Less
Alec Ogston
Product Resource & Training Developer
CPD
Alec started at PASCO in 1999 as a tech support rep, but worked as a tech writer from 2004 to 2012, only to return in 2023 to work in CPD. Read more »
He’s worn a lot of hats! Alec graduated from Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, with a Bachelor of Arts in Physics.
In his free time, Alec likes to play guitar. « Read Less
Kel Jocoy
High School Product Resource & Training Developer
CPD
Kel joined the PASCO team in 2023 in our Continuing Professional Development Department. They’ve created labs and activities for products including the 550 Universal Interface that educators can utilize in their class. Read more »
Prior to their time at PASCO, Kel taught AP Physics, Conceptual Physics, and Chemistry for six years, making them a valuable asset in training others and creating content for our physics and chemistry products (like the PASCO Smart Cart)!
In their spare time, Kel enjoys collecting indoor houseplants, designing aquariums and terrariums, practicing judo, and traveling. « Read Less
Becky Duncan
Digital Creative Science Writer
Marketing
Becky creates much of the written content that PASCO posts, including on social media, in emails, and on our website! She also edits content to ensure it’s in the PASCO voice before it’s printed onto catalogs, brochures, and flyers. Read more »
Becky graduated from the University of California, Davis, with a Bachelor of Science in Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior; she then attained a Master of Arts in Science Writing from Johns Hopkins University. Prior to her start at PASCO, she worked as a freelance science writer for various employers, and also taught elementary science both inside and outside the classroom while working for an outdoor science education company in Sacramento.
Becky has a science illustration certificate and enjoys watercoloring in her spare time, as well as gardening, crafting, baking, and being around animals. « Read Less
Sophie Guzules
Digital Creative Science Writer
Marketing
Sophie is a huge contributor to the voice of PASCO, writing content for social media posts, emails, blogs, product pages, web pages, and more. Read More »
She’s a graduate of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, earning a Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts and Engineering Studies, with concentrations in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Media Arts in Society and Technology. She also has a minor in Ethnic Studies.
Prior to her time at PASCO, Sophie helped to make and organize workshop resources for the Seeds in STEM project in Santa Maria. She also worked under the Critical Research (in) Engineering and Technology Education (CREATE) group to study the effects of Utility Value Interventions for engineering students.
In her spare time, Sophie enjoys playing piano, sewing cosplay projects, and volunteering for mutual aid and unhoused initiatives. « Read Less
Boomer Briscoe
Executive
Boomer keeps office morale high! He performs duties in customer service, shipping, marketing, and product development, as well as working prominently as PASCO’s brand ambassador. Read More »
Boomer earned his PhD in Acute Smells and Friendly Greetings from the University of Florida, and his achievements include being published in Who’s Who of Golden Retrievers, as well as being awarded the Key to the City of Bluffs, California, for rescuing a resident cat from a wild coyote.
In his free time, Boomer enjoys watching college football, swimming in the American River, camping and hiking, browsing Instagram, and hanging his head out the window during car rides. « Read Less
