Randy Lynn has been in the advertising industry for more than 25 years, most recently as a partner and creative director at MWB. Although his professional background is not in computer programming, he has long been interested in computer science and technology.

During the summer of 2013, while working on a new-business pitch for a Mississippi economic development prospect, Randy noted the wide gap between projected computing jobs and opportunities for students to learn computer science, particularly in Mississippi. After seeing a video for Code.org’s new initiative to promote computer science education, he decided to get involved and launch a Mississippi-focused initiative.

Randy has spoken about K-12 computer science at a number of gatherings of education and business leaders. He has also written articles and op-eds in local publications including The Clarion-Ledger, Parents & Kids, and Pointe Innovation. For his agency’s blog, he’s interviewed leaders and visionaries in the computer science education movement, including Mitchel Resnick of the MIT Media Lab, whose group developed Scratch and the technology behind LEGO Mindstorms); Matt Richardson, the Raspberry Pi Foundation’s executive director for North America ; and Cameron Wilson of Code.org.

Over the past two years, Randy has served on various committees to promote technology, public education and innovation, including: The CS4MS Network Improvement Committee; the Madison County School District Career and Technical Center Advisory Board and TEDxJackson.