Virtual CC Fest October 17, 2026

Amy Woodman is a Senior Program Manager at the Processing Foundation, where she supports open-source contributors, creative coding education, and programs that expand access to technology as a medium for expression. An educator, curriculum designer, and ceramic artist, she is especially interested in how creative coding can build agency and creative confidence and how we can protect the messy, exploratory process of making and learning in an AI-rich world.

Dan taught high school math and computer science for several years, and now writes curriculum for Code.org and Hello World CS. He learned Processing in college, taught p5js in summer camps (where you can be really creative), wrote lessons for Code.org's Game Lab built on top of p5 play, and sometimes tinkers with ml5js.

David DeLiema is an educational researcher who studies the conversations, designs, and processes that shape how learning emerges from moments of impasse. In research-practice partnerships that foreground the knowledge and voices of teachers, students, and parents, his research examines cognitive and psychological processes in the context of social interaction, technology-rich settings, play-based activities, and embodied movement. In studies of children pretend-playing as bees trying to find nectar, middle schoolers debugging broken code, and youth working on challenging puzzle-based video games, his work provokes reflection on the open-ended, power-laden, and everyday nature of turning impasses into learning.

Adrienne Gifford (she/her) is a public school computing and STEM teacher, curriculum designer, and researcher in the Seattle area. She loves collaborating with students to explore creative, identity-inclusive, and culturally responsive approaches to teaching and learning about computing. Her recent work has focused on creative coding with tools like p5.js and Wordplay, both with students and in collaboration with other educators and researchers.

Shane Curry is a professional animator and amateur software enthusiast. He's currently the Timing Supervisor on "American Dad!" (2019-Present) and has worked on shows like Duncanville, She-Ra, and Trolls. He is a self-taught artist and musician.

Kemi Sijuwade-Ukadike is an artist, journalist, and creative-technology leader working at the intersection of accessibility, civic systems, and AI governance. She is founder of Small Systems Lab and previously led Artist Initiatives & Inclusion at Eyebeam. Her work asks how creative code can expand participation while keeping human intention, consent, and accountability at the center.

Jessica Valarezo is a software engineer and educator who builds and evaluates machine-learning systems. She is currently working in the early literacy space. She is interested in making machine learning fun and accessible, designing systems deliberately and thoughtfully, and finding cool, creative applications for it across fields!

Naoto Hieda is a researcher and an artist from Japan based in Estonia enrolled in the PhD programme at the School of Digital Technologies, Tallinn University. With a background in engineering, Naoto completed Diplom II (master's equivalent) with distinction from the Academy of Media Arts Cologne, Germany and works internationally for theater productions and in the visual arts.

Matthew Raupp is a Communication Design educator with over 25 years of teaching experience and a former partner of Defrost Design. His practice centers on "serious play," using code not just as a technical skill or means of production, but as a sandbox for experimentation. In an evolving technological landscape, Matthew views coding as a way to transition from a being a tool user to a tool maker, a philosophy that comes to life in his latest creative coding endeavor, Collage Machine, an algorithmic tool that strikes a balance between artist control and chance. By bringing these generative systems into both studio practice and the classroom, he helps designers shift beyond closed software constraints, using code to sketch, generate unexpected outcomes, and invent their own ways of making.

Dr. Emily Thomforde is the Computer Science Department Chair at Reach University. She focuses on culturally sustaining pedagogy and making connections between computing and other disciplinary areas. Emily previously served as Computer Science Coordinator at the California Department of Education and San Mateo County Office of Education. She is a BAFTA-winning video game developer, and has ten years of experience teaching computer programming, software development and computing pedagogy at libraries, prisons, museums, and public schools locally and abroad. Her curriculum development credits include Vidcode, Hopscotch, Code.org, STEM from Dance, Code Combat, and BrainPOP. Emily holds a PhD in Artificial Intelligence from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, UK.

Blair is a human-computer interaction researcher interested in how to use machines that manipulate the physical world for insight and expression.

Sai is an information designer crafting delightful experiences with data & technology who draws inspiration from natural phenomena, often using code as a means to that end. In the past, his work has been recognised and celebrated by CultureHub, Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Bangalore International Center and Information is Beautiful, among others. Sai is currently at SOOT where he continues to imbue interactivity in his work.

Tristan is a creative coder, educator, and researcher working at the intersection of technology, interaction design, and creativity. He is the author of "Learn Python Visually: Creative Coding with Processing.py" and a long-time open source contributor and advocate for Python-related Processing projects.

M DeNardo (they/them) composer/designer/educator … believes in learning software engineering through the lens of creative coding … has collaborated with Teenage Engineering, The GIANT Room, NEST+m, NYU … loves learning and listening.

"Julien Gachadoat (aka v3ga) has been exploring generative drawing for many years. He grew up in the 90s amid the avant-garde demo scene, making visuals with code. Ever since, programming languages have been his creative tool.

Creating unique art with algorithms, he works with the emergence of abstract form. Combining monochrome, geometric shapes, he plays with repetition, using random operations to generate an element of surprise."