Traci Buckner, Director of Specialty Programs for Akron Public Schools, has worked for more than 17 years in the Akron Public School system. After receiving her master's degree in education from John Carroll University, she served as a middle school language arts teacher, a dean of students, an assistant principal, and a principal before becoming the founding instructional leader of the National Inventors Hall of Fame School … Center for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Learning. Under Mrs. Buckner's leadership, the school distinguished itself as a national exemplar of STEM learning and was featured in Newsweek and on "Perry's Principles," a series that runs on CNN's Anderson Cooper 360°. Mrs. Buckner currently leads Akron Public Schools' efforts to expand STEM best practices throughout the district and to develop and direct innovation efforts in the district's nontraditional schools. She also serves as a founding faculty member of Battelle's Innovative Leaders Institute and was recently honored at the Ohio Black Women's Leadership Caucus's 34th annual Salute to Black Women & Scholarship, with the theme "Women of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Rising Amongst the Stars." She lives with her husband, Tobin, and their two sons. She can be reached at tracibuckner@gmail.com.