STAFF MEMBERS
Abdelghani Bellaachia, Ph.D.
Founder & CEO
Stemtree is the brainchild and passion of our founder, Abdelghani “Bell” Bellaachia. Affectionately known as “Dr. Bell,” he is a familiar face at Stemtree and can often be found mentoring staff, working with students, or chatting with parents. Bell’s love of – and knack for – the study of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) inspired his own path as both student and educator. In addition to earning degrees of his own in Electrical Engineering (BA, MS), Computer Science (MS), and Software Systems (Ph.D.), Bell has over 25 years of experience teaching at the college level. He also served as an Associate Professor at his alma mater, George Washington University. His national and international teaching, as well his vast experience in research and professional positions within the scientific community, have opened his eyes to the importance of a rigorous and robust education in STEM. This understanding has fostered in him an unwavering commitment to preparing tomorrow’s leaders for their future careers. Bell’s sights are set on creating in Stemtree a premiere center with a comprehensive K-12 science, technology, engineering, and mathematics curriculum and a unique education model.
Michelle Kang
Michelle has been with Stemtree since the inception. She promotes and markets our programs to local elementary schools and their PTAs. She also manages our after-school programs and serves as a communications manager for special events. Michelle brings 16+ years of executive experience in financial services (commercial banks, trust companies, and employee benefits consulting firms). She is an active volunteer in her community holding leadership positions in PTAs. Prior to joining Stremtree, Michelle was with Mathnasium as an after-school math instructor and manager responsible for all after school programs in Vienna area. Michelle holds a B.S. degree in Finance from Syracuse University.
Suneeta Rana
Suneeta Rana attended Fairfax County Public Schools and received her B.S. in Information Systems from George Mason University. She spent 17 years in the IT field in Government/DoD/Intelligence and the private sector in Silicon Valley as a Programmer, Network Administrator, Program Manager, Instructor and Technical Trainer. She started working as a Database Applications Programmer at a local computer company at age 16 and then went on to design and implement several computer systems for the Fairfax County Fire & Rescue, U.S. Air Force, and the Environmental Protection Agency. She was a self-taught Certified Network Administrator. She automated Fairfax County’s Emergency Medical Service Incident Report. Suneeta developed & installed an EPA system in regional offices across America. As a Program Manager, she received the National Performance Review Award from former Vice President Al Gore for creating the 1st website for the CIA. She taught an Associate’s Degree class in Network Engineering Management at Computer Learning Center in San Jose. As a Technical Trainer in Silicon Valley, she travelled around the world teaching UNIX and Computer Hardware classes. She was Secretary, Webmaster, and Vice President of the Westbriar Elementary School PTA. She started Odyssey of the Mind at Westbriar in 2013. Her youngest daughter was a student at Westbriar and Stemtree and her older daughter is a graduate of Fairfax County Public Schools and Virginia Tech. Suneeta is passionate about getting kids excited about STEM at an early age, especially girls!
Willy Henri Raparaoelina
Hello, I’m Willy and I have been with Stemtree Education Center since April of 2022 as a STEM Instructor, and Mathematics Curriculum Developer. In the year 2000 I earned my Doctorate in Business Administration, with a Major in Financial Management, from the Institut National des Sciences Comptables, in Madagascar. In addition, I completed a Master’s Degree in Mathematics from the University of Antananarivo- Madagascar in 1997. Most recently, in 2015, I received a Certificate in Software QA Testing from the People and Technology Institute in Virginia. Before working with Stemtree, I accumulated seven years of professional experience as a Mathematics Curriculum Developer, and Instructor, for multiple companies offering educational services. In addition, I worked professionally for ten years for various Multilateral Development Banks, where I co-led development projects in various sectors in Sub-Saharan Africa countries. I also have three years of experience in building automated quantitative and qualitative data retrieval in data driven framework in the Microsoft SQL Server, and MySQL Database environments.
Chrystal Oden
Hi! My name is Chrystal Oden and I am a graduate of Cornell University. Though I have a particular interest in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, I received my BS with a general concentration in Biology from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. I gained so much knowledge during my time at Cornell, and, though I always knew I loved learning, I discovered that I enjoyed sharing that knowledge with others, both young and old, equally as much. As a zookeeper and animal caretaker volunteer throughout undergrad, I was actively involved in public education and enjoyed teaching school groups and camps about topics ranging from anatomy to conservation biology. Working at Stemtree has further cultivated this passion and inspired me to continue instilling this curiosity for learning in the minds of our young, eager students. Aside from hiking to class in subzero temperatures, my experience at Cornell included participating in intramural and club sports and volunteering with numerous organizations from the Cayuga Nature Center to Habitat for Humanity. I was a puppy sitter for Guiding Eyes for the Blind at Cornell and 2 year president of the women’s club basketball team. Currently, I am a volunteer at Hamilton Volunteer Rescue Squad in western Loudoun and plan to continue my education with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing over the coming years.
Claudia Hall
Hello, I'm Claudia Hall. I am a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University's School of Kinesiology and Health Science. I have received my Bachelors of Science in Health, Physical Education, and Exercise Science, with a concentration in Health Science, after spending a semester abroad studying in Perth, Australia. During my time at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), I was also a member of the Global Education Program where I earned my Globe and Peace Corps Prep certificates. I am passionate about both education and health. I enjoy working with students K-12 to improve their skills in both science and engineering. I try to promote mindfulness and the 7 Dimensions of Wellness in my day to day life. My goal is to provide resources and information in order to enable others to live their best life. I have over three years of experience tutoring across many different subjects and ages over three years of experience tutoring across many different subjects and ages. I am also working closely with Dr. Bell as the Franchise Operations Coordinator in order to support all of the Stemtree locations and franchisees. When I'm not connecting with Stemtree locations across the country, I can be found playing with and training my dog, Grace. We are working towards her becoming a Therapy Dog so we can visit schools, nursing homes, and hospitals to bring in a bit of love.
Ransom Cain
Hello! I'm Ransom, and I'm passionate about empowering the next generation of STEM leaders. I graduated from George Mason University with a Bachelor of Science in Management Information Systems. I am the Engineering Curriculum Developer here at Stemtree, and I've leveraged my diverse background in education, technology, and data analysis to design and implement cutting-edge STEM curriculums. Prior to Stemtree, I honed my skills in various technology and education settings. In the Enterprise Technology Services sector at Navy Federal Credit Union, I gained valuable experience in IT Asset Management, process automation, and data analysis. There, I implemented innovative solutions to streamline workflows, optimize resource allocation, and identify cost-saving opportunities. I'm thrilled to be part of the Stemtree team and contribute to shaping future generations of innovators!
Krystyna Larkham
Krystyna's main driving passion is helping people to increase their level of scientific understanding, so they can better understand the world around them and make informed decisions about everything from their health to the environment. She holds an MA in Natural Science from the University of Cambridge and an MSc in Environmental Technology from Imperial College, London, in the United Kingdom. She has over five years' experience tutoring Biology and Chemistry to AP level, and also taught in a private high school for two years where she was responsible for the Biology and Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) programs. Krystyna has also worked in Romania and Slovakia in Europe on community programs for mining and petrochemical projects, supporting community members to understand technical reports relating to their safety. A recent arrival to the USA, she enjoys exploring Northern Virginia with her husband, and volunteering at the Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC), participating in cooking and nutrition workshops for elementary and high school students.