ECEP Member Spotlight: Dr. Amy Ko, Washington ECEP Team

Dr. Amy Ko is a Professor and ECEP team member from Washington state who has dedicated over a decade to expanding CS education and ensuring every student has the opportunity to thrive.

Amy's CS journey began in her middle school pre-algebra class, where she first discovered programming on her calculator. That spark led to years of independent learning, a CS degree, and eventually a Ph.D. from Carnegie Mellon University. Now, she is a Professor and passionate advocate, who has spent years teaching CS to high schoolers, mentoring teachers, and shaping state policy.

Why CS education? For Amy, the answer is clear: "Computing has eaten the world; it is as important as understanding our biology, our physical world and society, and now deeply connected to all of that knowledge."

A moment that shaped her mission: As the only student taking AP CS A at her high school, Amy was locked in a janitor's closet for three hours to take the exam. That experience crystallized the inequities in access that continue to drive her advocacy today.

Making an impact in Washington: Amy is a tireless advocate at every level from meeting with state legislators to collaborating with teachers, families, and community organizations. She's especially proud of her team's work holding the state legislature accountable on unfunded mandates, and she's pushing for high school graduation requirements that serve all students, regardless of their interest in computing.

What keeps her going? "My relationships with teachers, students, families, schools, agencies, not-for-profits, and industry across Washington state and across the country. I don't always feel fully seen or supported, but there is enough allyship and solidarity to make it worth it."