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DALL·E 2024-04-22 11.13.54 - A pop art-style collage featuring a variety of faceless offic

THE SQUARE ROOT CREW

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Nicholas Haystings 

Executive Director

QUIRK: MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Tinkerer, maker, and all
around gearhead. Sacramento
native and proud CSUS alumni
with a BS in
Mechanical Engineering.

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Didier (Dj) Mponte

Programs Manager

QUIRK: ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

Lego Builder, Scientist,
and an advocate
for entreprenuership.
CSUS graduate with
a BS in Electrical &
Electronics Engineering.

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Kris Bridges

Hard Hat Scholar Program Manger

QUIRK: STEAM

Originally from Omaha,
Nebraska where I went
on to attend the University
of Nebraska and earn a B.S
in Construction Management.

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Michelle Fay Covey

Director of Education

QUIRK: ART

Michelle graduated from the University of Hawai’i at Manoa before moving to Sacramento to begin her career in art education!  Michelle brings her experience as a freelance graphic designer, artist, instructor, and project manager to her role at Square
Root Academy.

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Jerome​ Lootie

Operation Lead

QUIRK: DIGITAL ARTS

Jerome Lottie has been a freelance artist since 1998. He became a certified illustrator in 2001 and has been working to develop the community as a program director since 2009. As a program director, he has taught students of all age’s art and music. Jerome also teaches expanded learning professionals how to implement academic lesson plans that utilize art and music to promote scholastic advancement

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Ahmad Shahab Omari

IT LEAD

QUIRK: INFORMATION TECNOLOGY

I am currently pursing an A.S. Degree in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance , skilled in Python, C, C++, HTML, and website development. Actively engaged in security and more. competitions, currently serving as an IT Lead. Enthusiastic learner and true crime enthusiast with a passion for sci-fi fantasy books.

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Oscar Godinez

Scholar Mentor

QUIRK: MARKETING & ART

Digital artists & embroidery creator. SJSU Graduate with a BS in Marketing. I love to draw anything Star Wars or music related. I also like to read, drink coffee, and listen to music.

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Jamel Winder

Scholar Mentor

QUIRK: ART & GAME DESIGN

Solo indie developer and artist. Dedicated to knowledge of all things in the Video Game Space from retro to indie to AAA. Experience with GameMaker, Unity, and Unreal. Expert pixel artist.

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Mikayla Roberts

Scholar Mentor

QUIRK: ART

Solo indie developer and artist. Dedicated to knowledge of all things in the Video Game Space from retro to indie to AAA. Experience with GameMaker, Unity, and Unreal. Expert pixel artist.

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Safiya Cooper

Events Coordinator

QUIRK: ART

I’m proud to be from South Central LA where I created and learned about the importance of community and my passion for the arts. I’m also a proud Aggie or UC Davis alum with a B.A. in Socio-Cultural Anthropology. I value collaboration, teamwork, joy, peace, and challenges. In a couple years I will have my own summer arts camp and afterschool program. 

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Alexis Lienhard

Game Development and Design

QUIRK: ART

 In my spare time, I indulge in a diverse array of hobbies, including dance, Unity development, and Blender creations. As a social media enthusiast and music fanatic, I am deeply immersed in the digital world, leveraging my skills to curate engaging content and connect with audiences and mixing beats to create the perfect mood for my work. I find joy in crafting captivating videos across various genres and exploring my creativity through the intricate art of 3D modeling with Blender or game development on multiple different platforms including Unity, Yahaha, Ren'py. As a teacher I love to create a dynamic and open ended learning environment, to help engage the create an open minded, innovative, and creative atmosphere. I strive to inspire and motivate my students to have a desire for continued growth and development in STEM.

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Join the crew and check out our current listing of available positions.

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