Meet the Team

Zach has been involved in youth enrichment programming since 2007. He has experience teaching chess, FIRST Lego League, strategy games, and more. Zach is the director of chess programming for CSGA and was the head coach for Normandale Elementary, which won the SCA Primary State Championship last year. He has been passionate about chess since he began competing as a first grader and grew up surrounded by the game, with a dad and brothers who are also deeply involved in the chess world. In addition to chess, Zach is passionate about all things gaming. He enjoys attending and organizing conventions and plays pinball competitively.

Elise is a multi-talented creative who has been with CSGA since 2023. With over a decade of experience in graphic design, she has worked across a variety of industries, from educational non-profits to international ad agencies. At CSGA Enrichment, she leads marketing and communications with a student-first approach.

Elise especially loves teaching creative programs at CSGA, with her favorites being DIY Crafting and Salon & Spa. Her favorite part of being an instructor is seeing the glint in a student’s eye when their creativity really kicks in. In addition to teaching and design, Elise is also an event planner. When she’s not working, she loves volunteering, traveling, hosting movie nights with friends, and planning unforgettable gatherings.

Nate Metcalf is new to CSGA, but not new to teaching. After 25 years of writing educational theatre programs seen by literally millions of elementary students, he has now turned his talents directly to the classroom. He has previously taught classes in Theatre History, Improv, Scenic Design, Props Design for The Theatre, Character Development, Dialects for the Stage, Ballroom Dance, Board Games, and Board Game Design.

When not teaching, Nate designs board games, hosts bar trivia, freelances in the ballroom, trains his puppies (unsuccessfully) and dabbles in sewing machine repair.

Jason Olson is a special education teacher at Roseville Area High School and has been teaching in public schools for 15 years. He has also spent 16 summers working at summer camps and teaching summer programs. Jason is passionate and knowledgeable about comic books and board games and loves combining his love of teaching with his enjoyment of these hobbies.

Paul is a music education major from the University of Minnesota. When he isn't jamming on his double bass he loves to play board games with his friends and family. It is one of his greatest joys to work with students in the summer to create music and play games.

Dave teaches Tinkercad and 3D printing and also serves as the concessions coordinator for chess tournaments. His hobbies include street and dirt biking, and he collects antique lathes. He enjoys 3D printing at home and has recently acquired a laser engraver. His favorite game is Just Cause 3.

Spencer teaches strategy games during the summer. He is an artist in drawing and digital arts. Star Trek Ascendancy is his favorite game.

Amy has been a dedicated media and library teacher in Fridley since 2012, imparting library and tech skills while sparking curiosity through enrichment programs, especially in animal education. Beyond the shelves, she finds joy in reading and volunteering.

Henry holds a B.A. in Liberal Arts from St. Cloud State University and an M.A. in Elementary Education from Augsburg University. A licensed teacher in the Twin Cities area since 2012, he has focused on STEM enrichment since 2019, teaching computer science skills through his popular and engaging Coding Clubs in the Roseville and White Bear Lake areas. His mission is to inspire a love of coding in youth from an early age.

During the school year, Henry leads Chess and Coding Clubs, while in the summer, he runs Strategy Games and Rock 'n' Roll Band Camp. He is a proud father of four kids and three dogs, and he coaches football and soccer in the fall and spring. In his free time—what little he has—he enjoys fishing, the outdoors, traveling, music, and cooking.

Liam has been teaching after-school and summer programs on music technology, moviemaking, rock and roll, and many other subjects since 2022. Liam also manages and maintains equipment and program materials within CSGA. In his free time, Liam enjoys fixing things and hanging out around town.

Brendan’s role at CSGA involves teaching strategy games at Chippewa Middle School. He has a background in animation and game design, and his favorite game is Godsforge.

Megan has been sharing her love of arts and crafts with youth since 2007. A lifelong enthusiast of knitting, sewing, and all things crafty, she brings a wide range of abilities and experiences to youth programs. In addition to her day job teaching math to middle schoolers, she teaches sewing, knitting, and crochet classes after school. She enjoys simplifying complex projects into manageable steps that children can follow to create their own masterpieces. Her other skills include photography, Photoshop, computer programming, and strategy games. Megan holds a BS in Mathematics from St. Olaf College and is currently pursuing her MS in Teaching from St. Mary’s University.

Alexander has been flying UAS (drones) since 2014. He attended UND and is now a federally licensed drone pilot and FAA Safety Team Representative. Alexander uses drones for cinematic film production and thermal data collection, specializing in drone license training and education for all age groups.

He applies thermography and drone sensors for environmental monitoring, search and rescue, and first responder training. A licensed firefighter in Northern Minnesota, Alexander trains fire departments on using thermal drones to save lives and teaches college-level Part 107 exam prep courses.

Alex is an instructor for Dungeons & Dragons and other strategy and tabletop games. He also manages game inventory and storage logistics. His hobby is teaching games. A fun fact about Alex is that he is a student at the University of North Dakota, majoring in air traffic management.

Jacob is an amateur woodworker and a semi-professional Game Master, active on the convention circuit. He has joined Bill Nara at GenCon in Indianapolis and Minnesota's own Con of the North. His favorite board game is Council of Blackthorn, while his favorite role-playing game is RuneQuest.

With a degree in Elementary Education and 18 years of experience working with children and youth, Lisa brings exceptional problem-solving skills and a competitive spirit to everything she does. She assists the Executive Director with the company’s needs, ensuring smooth operations and success.

A lifelong puzzler, Lisa has been competing in jigsaw puzzle contests since 2002. Her teams have consistently ranked in the top ten at the St. Paul Winter Carnival, the largest jigsaw puzzle contest in the U.S. Her claim to fame is competing with 26 different teams in puzzle contests across the state.

Certified in Early Childhood Education since 2014, Liz has over 15 years of experience working with kids of all ages and is entering her fourth year teaching community education. She has been with CSGA since May 2022, where she enjoys teaching STEAM classes, especially coding, and leading DIY Crafting during the summer. Fluent in Spanish and learning Somali, Liz loves working with kids from diverse backgrounds and learning from them in return.

Liz is passionate about travel and has visited multiple states as well as Sweden, London, Iceland, Mexico, Poland, and the country of Georgia. Married for nine years, she and her husband, Michael, have a fur baby, Teddy. In her free time, she volunteers, learns new languages, and enjoys music, crafting, and spending time with loved ones.

Dan is teaching after-school strategy games and is also a Chemistry instructor at Hamline University. He is the founder of Athenium Games, a company that creates educational board games. His favorite game is Ticket to Ride.

Shane earned his degree in Psychology from the University of Minnesota Duluth, where he also pursued studies in Early Childhood Education. He has over four years of experience teaching students a variety of recreational activities, with a specialization in chess and strategy games. In his free time, Shane enjoys serving as a Dungeon Master for Dungeons & Dragons.

Minnesota native and former Summer Academy student, Josh Roman, has been working as a professional magician for the past six years. He picked up magic as a hobby while working as a stay-at-home dad. After finding just the right teacher, he quickly moved on to booking his first professional gig. Now, he wants to share his love of magic with you.​

Paul facilitates strategy games at conventions, including GenCon, Con of the North, and CooleeCon in La Crosse. He has a unique collection of medical emergency-themed games, and his favorite game is Plague Inc.

My favorite place to be is out in nature. With art supplies, snacks, and water in my pack I explore area trails. My art is my response to what I notice.

I've been an art educator for Mounds View Public Schools since 1993. I've been an artist in the Northrup King Building in Minneapolis since 2019. I can help students improve their skills in a variety of styles and techniques. When a student tries a new technique and expresses satisfaction with the result, that is the best feeling!​