
Our Inspiration.
“There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.”
Nelson Mandela, Former President of South Africa
Our Story
STEM Coding Lab was started in 2017 by the Penninti family with the singular belief that every child deserves access and exposure to computer science, AI, and STEM resources.
Starting with just 15 children in 2017, today we deliver over 180+ classes to 4,300 students across Allegheny County. Our growth is fueled by our results and the trust we've built with our school district partners.

Our Mission
Providing K-8 children with the CS/AI/STEM skills needed to succeed in a digital economy.
Our Vision
A world where all children have the same opportunity to succeed, regardless of income level.
Importance of K-8 Digital Skills
Without foundational digital skills, millions of children will be left behind. The future will be shaped by AI, robotics, and automation. This is the new inequality.
The Digital Divide is a Roadblock.
The challenge is clear. While countries across the globe mandate digital literacy classes in primary school, the U.S. has a teacher and resource access problem, especially in low-income communities. This skills gap limits a child's potential before they've even had a chance to discover it.
Early Intervention Is Important.
Learning logic, symbolic reasoning, and computational thinking is like learning a language—it's most effective when it starts young. Early exposure to CS, AI, and STEM using an experiential learning approach builds a child’s "reward circuit," increasing the likelihood they will pursue a future in technology. We focus on K-8 because it is a child's peak learning years
The AI Revolution is Here.
AI will fundamentally alter the job market. Digital literacy can no longer be optional; they are the new baseline for success. Innovation, creativity, collaboration, and team work, will be the essential skills in the AI economy. We are preparing our children not just to find jobs in a new economy, but to build it.
Our Progress

Our Team
Board Members

Viv Penninti
Board Chair and Founder

Roberto Capriotti
Partner, K&L Gates

Ravi Koka
CEO, StockSnips, Inc.

Joseph Lloyd
Vice President
Richard K. Mellon and Sons

Harry Soose
Former CFO, Civil and
Environmental Consultants (CEC)
Our Staff

Melissa Fuller
Chief Executive Officer

Maisha Sturdivant
VP of Operations

Jason Hivner
Director of Curriculum Development

Lauren Shalek
Director of Program Operations

Hannah Kirschner
Development Manager

Siani Rodriquez
Operations Assistant
Our Teachers

Naomi Odusanya
Lead Program Instructor

Emma Wang
Program Instructor

Eric Kress
Program Instructor

Frank Moody
Program Instructor

Katrena Loy
Program Instructor

Kelly Cary
Program Instructor

Lucas Waldrop
Program Instructor

Renelle Carrington
Program Instructor

Sabrina Ezzeddine
Program Instructor

Christopher Manseau
Junior Program Instructor
Our Donors
We are deeply grateful to the generous foundations and corporations whose support makes our mission possible.























































