Meet Uncharted Learning

At Uncharted Learning, Christy balances a plethora of responsibilities with ease and unshakeable composure.  She stands at the helm as team leader, priority setter, obstacle remover and chief problem solver. Having been at Uncharted Learning since its inception, she has acquired a clear and focused vision behind the company’s mission to change the face of entrepreneurial education. It is this foresight, coupled with Christy’s strong strategic mind, that energizes our organization and community of educators.

Christy started out as a coach and subject matter expert for our first INCubatoredu program at Barrington (IL) High School.  Seeing students get passionate about creating their own business inspired her to join Uncharted Learning’s purpose of bringing real entrepreneurship experiences to classrooms across the country.  It is her knack for elevating the conversation and connecting the dots that has become the driving force behind Uncharted Learning’s success.

Looking Back

As a competitive swimmer in college, Christy used her countless hours in the pool to think and reflect. She is definitely a big thinker by nature, which served her well in her brand management days at Kraft and Nestle, and makes her particularly valuable to our organization today.

Every Day

Christy prides herself on being an insatiable learner and optimist. While others stay focused on if something can get done, she figures out how it can get done, and then does it. This is just one reason why she is such a great leader and motivator.

Advice for Budding Entrepreneuers

“There is power in networking. You never know who you will meet or how you can help each other."

Margarita helped make us what we are today, working to establish our first INCubatoredu course at Barrington (IL) High School in 2013. Now she focuses on promoting Uncharted Learning and helping educators understand that a rigorous, hands-on, real-world program actually works to turn on the learning light switch.

She believes the health of our future depends on young people and wants to give them powerful skills they can use to navigate life's uncertainties. Her goal and current role is to bring together students, educators and business professionals to create a community that works and learns together.

Looking Back

After building a career in advertising as VP/Account Director at Leo Burnett, Margarita shifted focus toward her passion for creating meaningful learning environments, serving as both an educational foundation trustee and youth mental health services trustee. She has also shown her commitment for learning outside of work, getting up at 5:30 a.m. to practice Tae Kwon Do.

Challenge Met

Margarita knows first-hand the importance of having skills and determination to overcome obstacles. After failing in front of a large audience the first time she tried, she eventually broke a cement brick to earn her second-degree black belt.

What She'd Tell Her Younger Self

“Forget perfect and keep learning."

Kristina is our point person building strong relationships with schools and communities. She easily earns educators' trust and knows how to make them feel empowered by their choice to work with us. She guides potential members and inspires them to embark on the exciting journey that MobileMakersEdu and INCubatoredu can take them on.

Kristina is well suited to carry our message out into the world. She is outgoing, intuitive and good natured. She also has experience as both an educator and an entrepreneur. At Uncharted Learning, Kristina feels she has found the perfect place to combine her love of business with her desire to inspire students and their teachers.

In the Past

While working as an educator in California, Kristina and her students spent a week with scientists from NASA and its Jet Propulsion Laboratory, integrating technology, education and science into a nature-based outdoor program in the mountains of San Bernardino.

On the Side

Kristina and her daughter are learning American Sign Language and recently adopted a deaf puppy named Fettucini, who they are able to communicate with and train via signing.

Her Advice to Her Younger Self

“You set your own limitations. No one else can determine your inner strength."

Mitch kicked off his career in education as a middle school science teacher, then made the leap to industry - working with major curriculum providers to support teachers nationwide.  He was impressed by the uniqueness of our programs and the value of bringing business leaders into the classroom while giving students tools to be successful in today's world. He also appreciated how we promote teachers as incredible community assets.

Working closely with educators and school leaders, Mitch excels at drawing out new details and ideas for maximizing the success of our programs at  their schools. His experience and classroom perspective help us better meet the needs and challenges of our members.

Out in the World

Beyond building member relationships, Mitch works diligently to craft our messaging and reinforce our positioning in the marketplace. He is a voice of reason and a champion of educators everywhere.

Around the Office

Mitch is our resident Cliff Clavin, always ready with an answer to our questions about everything from sports to nature to home repair.

Message to Students, Teachers & School Leaders

"Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome." —Arthur Ashe

Stacy describes herself as a super nerd, but she's more like a supernova — exceedingly bright and full of energy. She is both an education and tech pioneer who works to empower teachers to become expert learners. Her goal is to give students the opportunity to do tangible things in the real world and to encourage teachers to keep up with their learning and the changes around them.

After spending 12 years in the Chicago Public School and charter school systems, Stacy developed a love of learning with others and leading others to try new things. She believes that growing the confidence and competence of educators directly impacts their students' ability to achieve amazing things.

Lives Touched

At Uncharted Learning, Stacy and her team have influenced and impacted the work of more than 500 teachers and 14,000 students. Those numbers are even higher when you consider her past work coaching teachers through EdConnective, and the New Teacher Center.

On the Side

For the past ten years, Stacy and her husband have been building their own company, which has led her to learn all about app development, podcasting, e-commerce, internet radio and the future of the music industry. She has also been busy building a brand for her cat.

Advice for Budding Entrepreneurs

“We learn by making mistakes and refining our approach or knowledge. Learn to embrace failure."

Michelle is a learner and innovator: by degree and obsession. Her brain is always going whether it be learning something new or asking questions.  She’s obsessed with process improvements and efficiency which is great to have around when you actually want them; however, friends and family that travel with Michelle aren’t thrilled with her over-analysis of airport security lines. 

As an educator herself, she rocks it supporting members of our programs empowering teachers as they begin their entrepreneurial journeys. As the point person between Uncharted Learning and educators, Michelle facilitates seamless two-way communication, enlightening us about what's going on in member classrooms and keeping teachers connected to the methods and materials to best support their students as they navigate the ever-changing entrepreneurship environment.

Entrepreneurial Spirit

Michelle calls herself an accidental entrepreneur, but her spirit would say otherwise.  Growing up, her family owned an ice cream store (what could be better for a kid?) and she now owns a greeting card business. Her advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is: always ask, “why not?” but don’t always ask it out loud.

Kelly is known for her tireless efforts in advocating for teachers and students. She takes the time to step into their world and work to understand what they really need to succeed. She has a special passion to connect with students who have different learning styles and abilities.

In her role at Uncharted Learning, Kelly supports the elementary and middle school program educators. In addition, she champions experiential learning in all areas of learning at school, focusing on lifelong skills like collaboration, critical thinking, communication and creativity.

A valuable perspective

After 20+ years in public education, Kelly has a deep understanding of the complexities of the school environment, the challenges faced by teachers and administrators, and the importance of the relationship between families, schools and communities.

A lofty goal

One day, Kelly hopes to put all of her educational experience, knowledge, ideas and insights into a publication that features students and teachers who embody the best in learning and education. She is hoping that her current path will allow her to nurture her skills as a writer.

Her words of wisdom for teachers

"Start with building relationships with your students. The safety net these relationships provide will help students engage with their learning, take risks, and be more resilient."

Behind Jerri's bright and cheerful demeanor lies a fearless educator who is not afraid to dive in and take on new challenges. For over 30 years, she has brought innovative programs into schools to help students succeed in new and exciting ways.

As a regional specialist, Jerri is bringing our INCubatoredu program to life in Texas, supporting local teachers and administrators while engaging the community and creating opportunities for budding entrepreneurs. Jerri really is the perfect person for this role — a true leader, a great collaborator, an effective communicator and a real team player.

A lifelong mission

Jerri has worked for decades to help students be successful now and in the future. Uncharted Learning gives her yet another way to accomplish this goal. "I love how the INCubatoredu program teaches students skills that they will use all of their lives: perseverance, resiliency, collaboration, communication."

Another important role

Of all the things that Jerri strives to do, being a role model for those close to her is high on her list. "My family is very important to me. I am trying to be a role model to my own two children, who are educators, and also to my four grandchildren."

What she'd tell her younger self

"You are in charge of your own path in life. Believe in yourself."

Laura does many things for Uncharted Learning and does them all well. She has incredible drive and will "iterate until it's great" if she sees the potential. Never willing to settle, Laura is the first to ask, 'How can we improve that?"

A big believer in listening and learning, Laura actively seeks feedback from INCubatoredu teachers who are "in the trenches." Whenever she can, she spreads the word about the INC program to teachers and administrators who are looking for innovative, student-driven learning opportunities.

Her next chapter

After retiring from teaching, Laura pitched herself to us with the idea of bringing INCubatoredu into a STEM academy space, and of course we said yes!  She loves her new role because it allows her to impact the part of teaching that she believes is most important to students: adopting an entrepreneurial mindset, finding their voice, and developing resilience.

Her big adventure 

Laura is not one to sit still, so it is not surprising that she is planning to walk 500 miles from Spain to France with just a backpack on her back. Traveling is her passion and her attitude is "life is an adventure — take the trip!"

Her advice for budding entrepreneurs

"Don’t just start a business. Begin your journey to make a difference for people, and buckle up for the ride. It will be worth it!"

Wade calls himself our "in-house mobile app guy" but he is so much more. He combines his boundless energy with his extensive coding, iOS and other experience to elevate our MobileMakersEdu & MobileMakersStudios programs.

As our resident iOS developer evangelist, Wade mentors teachers and their students to help them understand the power and possibilities of creating iOS apps. Wade is also a passionate content creator who recently finished a compelling video series for our Entrepreneurship Across the Curriculum program. 

100+ videos

During the pandemic, Wade planned, shot and edited over 100 coding videos to supplement our curriculum and provide an additional resource for learning iOS app development while everyone was going to school remotely. Some classes even have “Wade Wednesdays” where they all watched his videos together! 

1 energizing podcast

Wade posts a daily podcast, which he describes as "passing my massively hyped up positive energy through the internet and into your head." He calls his podcast Walk With Wade and it gets plenty of positive feedback from people who say they love starting their day with a daily hit of Wade energy. 

What he'd tell his younger self

"The moment you finally decide to act on everything that interests you daily, is the moment the entire world welcomes you in. This is when your contagious energy became your most valuable gift to the world."

In a world that values loud voices and a lot of words and actions, Margot is a self-proclaimed "raging introvert" who demonstrates daily the power of contemplation and quiet creation. She relies on her perceptiveness to reach the right people with our message and impact more students. She is tireless in her efforts to foster more inquiries, launch awareness campaigns, and drive attendance to our events.

Entrepreneurial Spirit

Years ago, co-founded mc2 marketing inc, a virtual boutique agency before virtual was even a thing. She oversaw digital marketing strategy and media services for a variety of clients, and proved one can be successfully in business with BFFs!

Advice for Budding Entrepreneurs

“Be authentic, and take time to stay grounded in who you are and what you have. The right path will flow from there.  Also, get outside."

Connie works behind the scenes at Uncharted Learning taking care of details that keep the organization running smoothly. She enjoys organizing and putting order into areas and taking on any task that helps the team. And, when a party or event needs to be planned, Connie's got us covered. 

Having experience as a parent in public, private and home school, Connie was drawn to Uncharted Learning and its mission by the hands on, real life, practical experience offered by INCubatoredu. She would love to see every student have the opportunity to experience at least one of the programs at Uncharted Learning.

Entrepreneurial Spirit

Connie runs an Etsy shop featuring unique keychains. She promotes and teaches the Etsy platform to interested users.

Words of Wisdom

Set goals, work hard, be fair, strive to help others whenever you can, and always remember you are the one causing your life.

Kelly has served as the woman behind the curtain to help Uncharted Learning function as a well oiled machine.  Her current focus is overseeing financials, contracts and CRM. Kelly knows how to get things done in a growing startup, while also maintaining her purpose to never let an opportunity pass without a laugh.

With a Master’s in Education and a “jack of all trades” attitude, Kelly left the field of School Psychology to head into the world of Business.  Drawn to Uncharted Learning because of its mission to help kids find their passion and launch them into the world, Kelly found the perfect fit, and we depend on her organization and process-oriented skill sets.

Looking Back

Once a mountain girl, Kelly worked as a white-water rafting guide, taking clients on multi-day trips down the rivers of the west while also showing them how to hone the skill of sleeping under the stars.  With no prior experience running rapids, Kelly spent 2 weeks in an intensive training course before taking the helm of a white water raft — another example of her I-can-do attitude.

On the Side

Kelly has an entrepreneurial, want-to-be farmer side to her that she indulges by raising chickens and making beeswax candles. Her next venture is to get beehives so she can begin to source her own beeswax.

What She'd Tell Her Younger Self

“Smooth seas never made a skilled sailor."

When it comes to entrepreneurial ventures, Michael has been there, built that. With five successful businesses to his name, he knows what it takes to conceive, launch and grow a business. It's all about learning by doing, which is what brought Michael to ask: what if instead of teaching students about business, we gave them the opportunity to create, develop and launch a real business? And so, with the shared vision of Co-Founder Karl Fruecht, Uncharted Learning was born.

Michael is CEO of EmployBridge.  Prior to this he served as search fund investor and partner at The Operand Group, as well as a trusted advisor for multiple private-equity-backed enterprises.  Michael still finds the time and energy to work closely with us to keep our programs authentic and relevant. Michael is a true visionary and entrepreneurial thought leader. It's inspiring to have him at the helm.

Success Story

Michael co-founded SeatonCorp, which became a leading provider of recruiting and staffing for strategic users of contingent labor. The company operated in over 70 countries and employed over 44,000 people when it was sold to True Blue in 2014.

On the Side

Michael has a passion for sharing his ideas and experiences as an entrepreneur, so he serves on the boards of numerous businesses and extensively writes and speaks about entrepreneurship.

Advice for Budding Entrepreneuers

“Work hard and don't stop figuring out how to improve."

Karl mentors and guides our student teams, and actively recruits other business professionals to lend their own time and expertise to our programs. As a successful entrepreneur, Karl has the knowledge and experience to help others identify market opportunities and growth targets with strategy, technology and know-how.

Showing that inspiration can come at any time, Karl and Michael Miles proved that a few years back as they were reflecting on education at a graduation party and were inspired to start Uncharted Learning. Their goal was to shape the future of high school business education with an approach that engaged and empowered students in new ways. Mission (well on its way to being) accomplished.

Looking Back

I’ve been able to have an impact on some cool businesses and amazing projects, along side some good people.

Looking Forward

Let’s get students to create their own similar experiences.

 Wisdom for Budding Entrepreneurs

“There are only two types of people in the world: People afraid to try, and people not afraid to be wrong."