Introducing PLATO’s Executive Director, Debi Talukdar
Dear PLATO Community
I am honored to serve as PLATO’s first Executive Director, and excited to introduce myself to all of you.
As a PLATO volunteer since 2015, I have most recently been a board member and the chair of the Research and Advocacy Committee. Through my involvement with PLATO, I’ve come to appreciate the undeniable impact of our organization. PLATO has contributed so much to my own work in precollege philosophy, and I am thrilled to support the organization’s mission and growth in this new role.
I bring with me years of experience doing philosophy with children, a background in education and early childhood, and a commitment to issues of equity and inclusion. As a child, I rarely had opportunities to ask questions and wonder, and as a result I am passionate about positively affecting the learning experiences of young people. Currently, I live and work in Seattle, where I am the philosopher-in-residence at Thurgood Marshall Elementary School, a board member and former graduate fellow of the University of Washington Center for Philosophy for Children, and an instructor at the University of Washington’s College of Education.
As members and supporters of PLATO, I know that each of you is committed to bringing philosophical inquiry to the young people in your lives. Thank you for all you do! As we are primarily a volunteer organization, I also want to acknowledge the great work our committees do to keep PLATO running. PLATO appreciates all of you!
I would love to hear from you. If you have any questions, comments, or just want to say hello, please feel free to reach out. I hope many of you are considering presenting at PLATO’s 2020 conference, and I look forward to seeing you in San Diego in June!
Sincerely,
Debi Talukdar
Many congrats on your new appointment! All of us at APPE look forward to working with you and our PLATO colleagues in the coming year.