Erika Klose is an award winning classroom teacher and advocate for student learning. She is the K-12 Technology Integration Coordinator for STEM and Computer Science at the West Virginia Department of Education. A former seventh grade science teacher, Klose is a 2017 recipient of the Milken Educator Award, and a state finalist for the 2017 Presidential Award in Math and Science Teaching. A trained geologist, she worked for the U.S. Geological Survey in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, before entering the classroom. Klose earned a Bachelor of Science in Geology from Smith College in 1997, a Masters of Science in geological sciences in 1999 from Lehigh University, and a Masters of Arts in teaching in 2007 from Marshall University Graduate College. Klose is passionate about training teachers to teach with GIS technology. She is committed to encouraging students to explore STEM careers and to enjoy learning about how their world works.