Karisa Schwanekamp has been an educator for 20 years and is the Instructional Technology Integration Specialist for Plainfield Community School Corporation. She was Plainfield’s 2023 Teacher of the Year and was also an Indiana Top 10 Teacher of the Year finalist in 2023. Karisa was named a 2023 Indiana University Jacobs Educator for her innovative uses of technology. She believes strongly in real-world, authentic learning and is a founding member of YaySTEM!, a group whose mission is to bring joy to learning and teaching through STEM education. Karisa is an Innovation Coach with Keep Indiana Learning, serves on the Central Indiana STEM Ecosystem Advisory Board, is a MagicSchoolAI Pioneer, is a Book Creator Ambassador, serves on the Parks Foundation of Hendricks County Board, and is an Ambassador for Expeditions in Education. She has a bachelor’s degree in special education and elementary education from Indiana University and a master’s degree in applied behavioral analysis with a focus in autism from Ball State University. She makes a great team with her husband, Brent, who is a Plainfield High School administrator. They love to explore the outdoors with their 4 children.
