Ike was born and raised in Texas, and now resides in Los Angeles, CA. He is an experienced hip hop artist, educator, and ed tech leader with a passion for education, equity, and social justice. Ike is currently Sr. Director of Sales at Nearpod and Flocabulary. Prior to this role, Ike spent almost a decade serving as a teacher and principal in TX and CA. Throughout his time as an educator, Ike leveraged his passion and skills as a hip hop artist to help engage students. Whether writing a rap for his school’s creed or teaching an after-school hip hop class, Ike strived to bring joy to learning and reflect students’ interests. Ike’s current role marries his professional experiences as a hip hop artist, educator, and ed-tech leader and allows him to partner with talented school and district leaders across the country, with a shared goal of empowering educators to impact teaching and learning. Ike regularly provides professional development for educators, covering topics such as culturally responsive teaching, building school culture, and using technology and hip hop to engage and teach students. As a hip hop artist and student of the culture, he remains deeply in touch with the power of music to make diverse perspectives more accessible to others. Ike has been featured on CBS This Morning and performed at the United Nations for International Peace Day.