Sathya Wandzek has spent her career focusing on being a voice for all students, especially those of color through her love of math. Sathya received her bachelors in mathematics from CU Boulder but knew that her expertise would be used best in the classroom vs an office. As a person of color growing up in the “Boulder Bubble,” Sathya didn't see many teachers that looked like her. From a young age she was an outlier trying to fit in and find her place and she wanted to help other kids do the same.

After working for a summer at San Juan Del Centro in Boulder she knew that her passion was teaching, not just teaching, but teaching the underserved. She applied to the Public Education Business Coalition Teacher residency’s program in 2001 and was accepted into their first class receiving her Masters in Urban Education.

She taught for 10 years in Thornton Colorado supporting the development of a math curriculum for the district as well as becoming a Lab Host for other teachers to come and visit her class. She cultivated relationships through parent nights, home visits, and engaging math lessons that were meaningful to students.

After 10 years Sathya knew that she needed more, needed to grow and find a way to make more of a difference and so she joined the Public Education Business Coalition as a staff developer. For the last 9 years Sathya has traveled the country supporting teachers in best practice and helping them find the joy that comes with mathematical understanding and agency. From presenting institutes to developing PD in different states she saw a gap, again this hole in our education system when it comes to representation. Where were the teachers of color, and why were we not representing them?

Her goal for the last two years as a Dean of Instruction at Beach Court elementary in Denver Public School was to coach and launch PEBC’s first Bilingual Learning lab, and she did it! But this is just one classroom, she wants to see more teachers of color being represented in our schools. That is why she is so excited for this new adventure with Beyond 100K, a non-profit focused on sustainability of BIPOC STEM Educators.

As a person of color who lacked representation in her own life she knows the importance for students to see themselves in school, and in life. That is why she is passionate about supporting BIPOC (Black Indigenous People of Color)  educators in staying in the classroom and learning how to navigate a dominantly white system. She is excited to Launch the BEST (BIPOC Educational STEM Thinkers) conference this Summer in Denver Colorado. This conference is a place for Belonging, Awareness, Healing, and Change, all things Sathya is hoping to accomplish in her career and life.