Stefan has been an educator for over 30 years, with experience in both K-12 and higher education (Boston College, Harvard College Debate). He has developed and implemented live and online speech and debate instruction and competition programs, including teacher training programs, for hundreds of public and private schools, with a focus on developing long-lasting skills like communication and critical thinking.

Stefan is the co-editor of Chat (GPT): Navigating the Impact of Generative AI Technologies on Educational Theory and Practice and recently co-authored Beyond Algorithmic Solutions: The Significance of Academic Debate for Learning Assessment and Skill Cultivation in the AI World.

He has given presentations on artificial intelligence at conferences in the United States (AIxEducation; NDCA) and in the United Kingdom (Cottesmore). His topics of discussion have included understanding generative AI, trends in the development of AI, and impending educational disruptions. He is a regular contributor to podcasts (EdUp AI, MyEdTechLife, Coffee for the Brain, D.E.E.P. Teaching, and Coconut Thinking), which allows him to keep up with the most recent developments in the field. He is recognized as a "Group Expert" in the Higher Education Discussions of the Higher Education AI Writing Group, which has over 5,000 members. In this group, he was also mentioned as one of the top 5 thought leaders in generative AI in the field of higher education. He blogs on AI and education and he writes about recent advancements in AI in the field of education in the hopes of pushing ahead the discussion of AI in education. 

He recently finished a MIT course on VR application and development and is currently working with an e-learning company to develop an AI-based debate instructional program. He has already started using generative AI to teach speech and debate. This includes creating textual and visual lesson plans and classroom materials, helping students write rough drafts of speeches, advancing traditional research, outlining arguments and possible responses, practicing debates against bots, and using AI bots to help students get extra help and a deeper understanding and to make teaching easier. He’s committed to helping his students gain AI literacy so they can develop appropriately in the AI world and understand how to use the technologies appropriately.

I began my journey as a high school science teacher then shifted into a private school Educational Technology Director. I then became Director of Innovative Learning at the University of Southern California, after which I was hired at Apple Inc. as an Education Leadership Executive. At Apple, I worked with schools to integrate technology to advance strategic initiatives. 

I support leaders and educators in how we design schools for today's learners. I work with leaders to integrate design thinking practices that encourage creativity, recognize accomplishments, build trust and inspire a collective vision.

While many places focus on tech tools and the latest in education technology, I use an approach that is human-centered. Using the design thinking framework and design sprints I help organizations address complex challenges and explore new opportunities.  Design thinking and design sprints provide people with the frameworks to scaffold complex challenges and opportunities. It provides us as humans with the tools to design uncomfortable situations into safe spaces.