About Mindly Games

Tatum began her career teaching kindergarten in Berkeley and Oakland, California. After earning her M.Ed from UC Berkeley, where she focused on Developmental Teacher Education, she worked as a teacher-researcher and learning experience designer for Harvard's Project Zero, Agency by Design Initiative. As a district technology teacher leader, she also supported other educators in adopting new technologies. She later shifted to focus solely on educational technology, becoming the VP of Content and Curriculum at Education.com, where she led the creation of multiple educational resources, including reading and math games. Throughout her career, Tatum has consistently aimed to deepen students' understanding of their world through child-centered design and learning. Now, she is a founder at Mindly and consults with other edtech companies striving to have a positive impact worldwide.

Mike Gray is an accomplished animator, director, and writer celebrated for his award-winning contributions to the educational entertainment industry. With a rich background in children's learning games, Mike brings extensive expertise from his work at The Learning Company, Education.com, MAKE, and more. He excels in crafting engaging and educational experiences that excite young learners, making the process of practicing and learning new skills a ton of fun. Committed to the fusion of entertainment and learning, Mike's contributions to the educational games industry have inspired and captivated audiences worldwide for decades.

Esteban Padilla is a distinguished game designer, developer, and visionary known for his instrumental role in shaping the landscape of gaming on platforms such as Nintendo and PlayStation. Specializing in child-centered game mechanics design, Esteban has dedicated his career to ensuring that young players not only enjoy but also feel empowered by the games they play. His innovative approach adds a unique level of challenge and engagement to educational games, enhancing the learning experience. With a focus on blending fun and education, Esteban's work has consistently made learning an exciting adventure for children, inspiring and engaging young minds worldwide.

Dr. Elliott Hedman helps elevate the voices of all children. He earned his Ph.D. at the MIT Media Lab, where he helped invent a sensor that can measure children’s subconscious emotional responses. After working at IDEO and Google, Elliott formed the consulting company mPath, that helps companies like Mindly Games, the LEGO Group, and McGraw Hill empathize and build for the children they serve. In a blaze of passion, Elliott also created a free app, Wonder.io, that reinvents the reading experience for struggling readers. While he hasn’t fully pursued it yet, Elliott is convinced that he’s a pretty good stand-up comedian for 8-year-old children.

Dr. Karin Forssell is the director of the Learning Design and Technology (LDT) master's program and senior lecturer at the Stanford Graduate School of Education. Dr. Forssell also directs the GSE Makery, a maker space where students and faculty can explore how making things helps people learn. In her courses, students learn to use research from the learning sciences and learning-centered design processes to create effective digital tools. Her current interests include maker space education, teacher technology adoption, and parenting in a digital world.