The Cognizant Foundation and Teach For America are proud to recognize the inaugural winners of the Cognizant Innovation in Computer Science Education Awards—these awards identify PK-12 educators and leaders who have demonstrated measurable impact expanding access to and advocating for computer science education. 

Below is a profile of award winner Mehreen Butt, co-founder and program director at Culturally Tech in Nashville, Tennessee.

For years, Mehreen Butt has championed efforts to create pathways that position computer science as the engine for bringing students to financial freedom. Mehreen notes that historically, students in the Deep South have the lowest odds of going from the bottom of the income distribution to the top, which is why she continually stresses the importance of providing equitable access to achieving digital literacy. 

Through her work at Nashville-based nonprofit Culturally Tech, Mehreen works alongside others to change the tech industry from being predominantly white and male to one that empowers underrepresented students to claim their space in tech. Mehreen emphasizes the need to create an ecosystem that develops a pipeline of talented, diverse professionals, which in turn can help define Nashville as a competitive technology hub. 

Before joining Culturally Tech, Mehreen taught at RePublic High School (RHS) in Nashville, where she acted as the lead teacher for the computer science program, and ultimately served as academic dean of science and computer science. During her time as academic dean, RHS reached its highest AP Computer Science Principles passage rate, with more than 70 percent of students passing the exam. 

Looking to the future, Mehreen hopes to further change the makeup of the tech industry, building on the work she has done thus far to foster an environment where historically underrepresented students know they belong in tech. 

“We must create long-term, sustainable partnerships in order to truly make effective change,” said Mehreen. “Diversifying the industry and creating pathways for groups that have been historically marginalized is work that requires locked-arm partnerships with other organizations.”

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Meet all of the winners

Learn more about the other educators and innovators recognized as the inaugural winners of the Cognizant Innovation in Computer Science Education Awards:

• Tyree Alexander, Urban Assembly School for Math and Science

• Cerina Livaudais, DreamHouse 'Ewa Beach Public Charter School

• Laura Peters, Henderson K-12 Inclusion School

• Ryan Torbey, CS4TX