Clinton, Eaton, Ingham, Ionia, Livingston and Shiawassee Counties

Region 5 Director: Conni Crittenden

Conni Crittenden, Region 5 Director, spent 47 years as a classroom teacher and just recently retired. Currently she coaches and mentors teachers in science and serves as Chair of the NSTA Science and Children Advisory Board, is on the board of the Society of Elementary Presidential Awardees, as well as the Association of Presidential Awardees in Science Teaching. Conni is a strong advocate for teaching and integrating science in the elementary classroom and provides professional learning centered around literacy and science. She is also known for frolicking through the exhibit hall at the MSTA conferences “Rexing” people with tiny T-Rex. Conni thinks everyone should have a tiara and light-up tutu no matter what age you are. Serving on the MSTA Board of Directors has been one of the things Conni is passionate about, and they have become her science family, conferences are like a family reunion each year. She is married, lives in East Lansing, has two grown children, and an adorable dog, Scout. Conni loves to cook and feed people good food, delivers donuts to neighbors in a T-Rex suit, is a camp program specialist at a magical place called Camp Lookout, and loves reading aloud books to all ages.