[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.16″ animation_direction=”top” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_fullwidth_header title=”Our People” content_max_width=”800px” _builder_version=”4.16″ title_level=”h2″ title_font=”Lato||||||||” title_font_size=”60px” title_line_height=”1.2em” content_font=”||||||||” content_font_size=”20px” content_line_height=”1.8em” background_color=”rgba(255, 255, 255, 0)” use_background_color_gradient=”on” background_color_gradient_direction=”90deg” background_color_gradient_stops=”rgba(0,0,0,0.75) 0%|rgba(0,0,0,0) 100%” background_color_gradient_overlays_image=”on” background_color_gradient_start=”rgba(0,0,0,0.75)” background_color_gradient_end=”rgba(0,0,0,0)” background_image=”https:\/\/chsinnovators.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/0560-1.jpg” custom_button_one=”on” button_one_text_size=”18px” button_one_bg_color=”#02d002″ button_one_border_width=”8px” button_one_border_color=”#02d002″ button_one_border_radius=”0px” button_one_letter_spacing=”1px” button_one_font=”Lato|700|||||||” button_one_use_icon=”off” custom_button_two=”on” button_two_text_size=”18px” button_two_text_color=”#353740″ button_two_bg_color=”#ffffff” button_two_border_width=”8px” button_two_border_color=”#ffffff” button_two_border_radius=”0px” button_two_letter_spacing=”1px” button_two_font=”Lato|700|||||||” button_two_use_icon=”off” custom_margin=”|||” custom_padding=”21.8%||0%|||” button_one_letter_spacing_hover=”1px” button_two_letter_spacing_hover=”1px” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” button_one_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”on” button_one_letter_spacing__hover=”1px” button_two_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”on” button_two_letter_spacing__hover=”1px” button_one_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off”][\/et_pb_fullwidth_header][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ custom_padding_last_edited=”on|desktop” admin_label=”Section” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#f1f1f1″ custom_padding_tablet=”50px|0|50px|0″ custom_padding_phone=”” transparent_background=”off” padding_mobile=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_3,1_3,1_3″ padding_mobile=”on” column_padding_mobile=”on” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0)” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_margin=”|auto|-0.2%|auto||” custom_margin_tablet=”||0px|” custom_margin_phone=”” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”||0px|” custom_padding_tablet=”” custom_padding_phone=”” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding_tablet=”||150px|” custom_padding_phone=”” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|tablet” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_team_member name=”Paul Ritter” position=”Director” image_url=”https:\/\/chsinnovators.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/paul_ritter_director_chsi-e1523481511825.jpg” admin_label=”Jack White” _builder_version=”4.16″ header_font=”Open Sans Condensed|||on|” header_text_color=”#000000″ body_font=”Open Sans|300|||||||” body_text_color=”#000000″ body_font_size=”16px” position_text_color=”#000000″ background_color=”#fafafa” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_margin=”||0px|” custom_padding=”|10px||10px|false|false” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Paul Ritter<\/strong>\u00a0is the Director and Co-Founder of\u00a0Celebrating High School Innovators<\/em>. He is a Biology, Ecology, and Earth Science teacher at Pontiac Township High School whose pioneering and engaging approaches to environmental education have led to numerous awards including the 2014 White House Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Educators (PIAEE) and the 2012 National Environmental Science Teacher of the Year award. His International Prescription Pill and Drug Disposal Program (P2D2) was named the number one environmental program in the nation by the United Nations in 2012 for leading his own students to properly dispose of over 1 million lbs. of pharmaceuticals.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_team_member][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding_tablet=”||150px|” custom_padding_phone=”” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_team_member name=”Blake Whittle ” position=”Program Coordinator\u00a0” image_url=”https:\/\/chsinnovators.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Headshot.jpg” admin_label=”Rose Chan” _builder_version=”4.22.1″ header_font=”Open Sans Condensed|||on|” header_text_color=”#000000″ body_font=”Open Sans|300|||||||” body_text_color=”#000000″ body_font_size=”16px” position_text_color=”#000000″ background_color=”#f7f7f7″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” width=”100%” max_width=”100%” custom_margin=”||0px|” custom_padding=”|10px||10px|false|false” hover_enabled=”0″ use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” global_colors_info=”{}” title_text=”Headshot” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n Blake Whittle\u00a0<\/b>serves as the Program Coordiator for Celebrating High School Innovators at Illinois State University. He graduated in 2020 from Illinois State University with a Bachelors Degree in Organizational Leadership. He is a 2016 winner of Celebrating High School Innovators for his innovations. He currently owns ClikIT, LLC, which is a \u00a0web design and development company.\u00a0<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_team_member][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding_tablet=”||150px|” custom_padding_phone=”” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_team_member name=”Dr. Mark Hoelscher” position=”Professor of Entrepreneurship” image_url=”https:\/\/chsinnovators.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/mhoels.jpg” admin_label=”David West” _builder_version=”4.16″ header_font=”Open Sans Condensed|||on|” header_text_color=”#000000″ body_font=”Open Sans|300|||||||” body_text_color=”#000000″ body_font_size=”16px” position_text_color=”#000000″ background_color=”#f7f7f7″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_margin=”||0px|” custom_padding=”|10px||10px|false|false” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Mark Hoelscher<\/strong> is a professor of entrepreneurship in the Department of Management and Quantitative Methods in the College of Business at Illinois State University. He graduated from Texas Tech University in May of 2002 with a PhD in Strategy and Entrepreneurship, with an additional emphasis on family businesses.<\/p>\n Hoelscher is also an active researcher in the study of nascent entrepreneurs and their use as proxies in understanding the entrepreneurial personality.<\/p>\n Dr. Hoelscher is currently Director Emeritus\u00a0of the George R and Martha Means Center.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_team_member][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_3,1_3,1_3″ padding_mobile=”on” column_padding_mobile=”on” admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0)” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_margin=”25px|auto||auto||” custom_margin_tablet=”-30px|||” custom_margin_phone=”” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|tablet” custom_padding=”||0px|” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding_tablet=”||150px|” custom_padding_phone=”” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_team_member name=”Dr. George Rutherford” position=”Associate Professor of Physics” image_url=”https:\/\/chsinnovators.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/unnamed-e1550860976786.jpg” admin_label=”Emma Walker” _builder_version=”4.16″ header_font=”Open Sans Condensed|||on|” header_text_color=”#000000″ body_font=”Open Sans|300|||||||” body_text_color=”#000000″ body_font_size=”16px” position_text_color=”#000000″ background_color=”#f7f7f7″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_margin=”||0px|” custom_padding=”|10px||10px|false|false” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Dr. George Rutherford<\/strong> is an Associate Professor of Physics at Illinois State University. Dr. Rutherford received his B.S. in Physics from Mississippi State University and his PhD in physics in 1991 from Rice University. Dr. Rutherford is an active researcher in <\/span>the nonlinear dynamics of mechanical systems (the chaotic waterwheel) as well as in both biological and electronic neurons. He also works to understand the way students learn and understand measurement and how project-based learning and the maker movement contribute to STEM and entrepreneurial education.\u00a0Dr. Rutherford is an ISU CeMaST Associate Director.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_team_member][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding_tablet=”||150px|” custom_padding_phone=”” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|desktop” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_team_member name=”Dr. Rob Rhykerd ” position=”Professor of Agriculture” image_url=”https:\/\/chsinnovators.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/41291253_10160813320715608_2867323577013633024_o-e1550861519345.jpg” admin_label=”Eric Davis” _builder_version=”4.16″ header_font=”Open Sans Condensed|||on|” header_text_color=”#000000″ body_font=”Open Sans|300|||||||” body_text_color=”#000000″ body_font_size=”16px” position_text_color=”#000000″ background_color=”#f7f7f7″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_margin=”||0px|” custom_padding=”|10px||10px|false|false” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Dr. Rob Rhykerd<\/strong> is a Professor of Agriculture at Illinois State University. Dr. Rhykerd has served in the role of Dept. chair of the Agriculture dept in the past. Dr. Rhykerd recieved his B.S. in Agronomy at Purdue Uniervsity and his PhD in Soil Science at Texas A&M University. Dr. Rhykerd was awarded the Impact Award at Illinois State University in 2015 and recieved his Honorary State FFA Degree in 2016.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_team_member][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding_tablet=”||150px|” custom_padding_phone=”” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_team_member name=”Dr. Chris Merrill” position=”Professor of Technology” image_url=”https:\/\/chsinnovators.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/ChrisWebRes-1.jpg” admin_label=”Emma Walker” _builder_version=”4.16″ header_font=”Open Sans Condensed|||on|” header_text_color=”#000000″ body_font=”Open Sans|300|||||||” body_text_color=”#000000″ body_font_size=”16px” position_text_color=”#000000″ background_color=”#f7f7f7″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_margin=”||0px|” custom_padding=”|||10px|false|false” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Dr. Chris Merrill <\/strong>is currently the Principal Investigator for the Illinois Career and Technical Education Innovative Curriculum Resources Project <\/em>and Professor of Technology and Engineering education at Illinois State University. Dr. Merrill has been at Illinois State for 20 years and is an active researcher in STEM Education, Technology & Engineering Education, and Career and Technical Education. Dr. Merrill is the 2020 ACTE Teacher of the Year winner. Dr. Merrill was also awarded Outstanding Teacher Educator of the Year by IACTE. Dr. Merrill is an ISU CeMaST Associate Director.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_team_member][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_3,1_3,1_3″ padding_mobile=”on” column_padding_mobile=”on” admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0)” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_margin=”25px|auto||auto||” custom_margin_tablet=”-30px|||” custom_margin_phone=”” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|tablet” custom_padding=”||0px|” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding_tablet=”||150px|” custom_padding_phone=”” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_team_member name=”Jim Nelson” position=”Executive Director, IMA Education Foundation” image_url=”https:\/\/chsinnovators.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/JimNelson-e1586842013770.jpg” admin_label=”Emma Walker” _builder_version=”4.16″ header_font=”Open Sans Condensed|||on|” header_text_color=”#000000″ body_font=”Open Sans|300|||||||” body_text_color=”#000000″ body_font_size=”16px” position_text_color=”#000000″ background_color=”#f7f7f7″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” width=”100%” min_height=”1000px” height=”1000px” max_height=”1000px” custom_margin=”||0px|” custom_padding=”|10px||10px|false|false” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Jim Nelson<\/strong> is Vice President Education & Workforce Policy and Executive Director, IMA Education Foundation for the Illinois Manufacturers\u2019 Association.\u00a0 He \u00a0is responsible for the IMA Education Foundation and the association\u2019s education policy initiatives.\u00a0 In addition, Jim is responsible for Special Projects for the IMA and has coordinated activities for the Small Manufacturers Council and the Young Leaders Council. Previous to joining the IMA in 2003, Jim served as a Legislative Liaison in various Illinois administrative agencies serving three Illinois governors over a 25 year span. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_team_member][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding_tablet=”||150px|” custom_padding_phone=”” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|desktop” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_team_member name=”John Quarton” position=”Director, The Petrick Idea Center” image_url=”https:\/\/chsinnovators.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/John-Quarton-head-shot.jpeg” admin_label=”Emma Walker” _builder_version=”4.16″ header_font=”Open Sans Condensed|||on|” header_text_color=”#000000″ body_font=”Open Sans|300|||||||” body_text_color=”#000000″ body_font_size=”16px” position_text_color=”#000000″ background_color=”#f7f7f7″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” width=”100%” min_height=”1000px” height=”1000px” max_height=”1000px” custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”|10px|0px|10px|false|false” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n John Quarton<\/b> is the inaugural director of The Petrick Idea Center at Illinois Wesleyan University, where he cultivates multi-disciplinary learning and creativity-focused initiatives, programs, events, and collaborations. John earned his B.S. in Electrical Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). He worked at General Electric and State Farm as a systems\/software engineer and innovation leader for a total of 26 years before being recruited by UIUC to serve as Senior Director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Programs for Gies College of Business, Senior Director of the Origin Ventures Academy for Entrepreneurial Leadership, and Director of The Hoeft Technology & Management Program. John joined Illinois Wesleyan in 2021 after serving eight years at UIUC.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_team_member][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding_tablet=”||150px|” custom_padding_phone=”” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ fullwidth=”on” admin_label=”Call to Action” _builder_version=”4.16″ animation_direction=”bottom” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_fullwidth_header title=”We’re looking for students like you. ” button_one_text=”Apply Today” button_one_url=”https:\/\/chsinnovators.org\/apply\/” button_two_text=”Learn More” button_two_url=”https:\/\/chsinnovators.org\/about\/” content_max_width=”800px” _builder_version=”4.16″ title_level=”h2″ title_font=”Lato||||||||” title_font_size=”60px” title_line_height=”1.2em” content_font=”||||||||” content_font_size=”20px” content_line_height=”1.8em” background_color=”rgba(255, 255, 255, 0)” use_background_color_gradient=”on” background_color_gradient_direction=”90deg” background_color_gradient_stops=”rgba(0,0,0,0.75) 0%|rgba(0,0,0,0) 100%” background_color_gradient_overlays_image=”on” background_color_gradient_start=”rgba(0,0,0,0.75)” background_color_gradient_end=”rgba(0,0,0,0)” background_image=”https:\/\/chsinnovators.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/18_6055-1.jpg” custom_button_one=”on” button_one_text_size=”18px” button_one_bg_color=”#02d002″ button_one_border_width=”8px” button_one_border_color=”#02d002″ button_one_border_radius=”0px” button_one_letter_spacing=”1px” button_one_font=”Lato|700|||||||” button_one_use_icon=”off” custom_button_two=”on” button_two_text_size=”18px” button_two_text_color=”#353740″ button_two_bg_color=”#ffffff” button_two_border_width=”8px” button_two_border_color=”#ffffff” button_two_border_radius=”0px” button_two_letter_spacing=”1px” button_two_font=”Lato|700|||||||” button_two_use_icon=”off” custom_margin=”|||” custom_padding=”8%||8%|” button_one_letter_spacing_hover=”1px” button_two_letter_spacing_hover=”1px” global_colors_info=”{}” button_one_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”on” button_one_letter_spacing__hover=”1px” button_two_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”on” button_two_letter_spacing__hover=”1px” button_one_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off”][\/et_pb_fullwidth_header][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Paul Ritter\u00a0is the Director and Co-Founder of\u00a0Celebrating High School Innovators. He is a Biology, Ecology, and Earth Science teacher at Pontiac Township High School whose pioneering and engaging approaches to environmental education have led to numerous awards including the 2014 White House Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Educators (PIAEE) and the 2012 National Environmental Science […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chsinnovators.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/41"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chsinnovators.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chsinnovators.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chsinnovators.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chsinnovators.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/chsinnovators.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/41\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30099,"href":"https:\/\/chsinnovators.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/41\/revisions\/30099"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chsinnovators.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}