Michael Sturtz
Michael Sturtz is the founder of the The Crucible and former Executive Director. Michael established The Crucible in 1999 as a venue to teach industrial arts in a truly creative and noncompetitive learning environment. During his 12 years as Executive Director, Michael nurtured what began as an idea and $1,750 seed grant into the largest nonprofit industrial arts educational facility in the nation.
Michael grew up dissecting road kill and then observing his father, an orthopedic surgeon, in the operating room. Michael also spent time tinkering with machines and rebuilding cars in his stepfather's auto body shop. As a result, he developed a fascination for the hidden mechanics of everyday forms. Michael found early success as a sculptor, architectural metal worker, and product designer, earning his BFA from Alfred University School of Art and Design and his MFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Additionally, he studied stone carving at Studio de Sem Ghelardini, Pietrasanta, Italy.
Currently Michael teaches at Stanford's design school applying the design thinking process to spearhead a new artistic genre of live performance appealing to the 21- to 35-year-old demographic. Michael also teaches electric motorcycle user experience design at Stanford's Automotive Innovation Facility.
Michael grew up dissecting road kill and then observing his father, an orthopedic surgeon, in the operating room. Michael also spent time tinkering with machines and rebuilding cars in his stepfather's auto body shop. As a result, he developed a fascination for the hidden mechanics of everyday forms. Michael found early success as a sculptor, architectural metal worker, and product designer, earning his BFA from Alfred University School of Art and Design and his MFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Additionally, he studied stone carving at Studio de Sem Ghelardini, Pietrasanta, Italy.
Currently Michael teaches at Stanford's design school applying the design thinking process to spearhead a new artistic genre of live performance appealing to the 21- to 35-year-old demographic. Michael also teaches electric motorcycle user experience design at Stanford's Automotive Innovation Facility.
William Scott
After receiving his B.A. from Dartmouth College, William R. Scott taught middle school humanities for seven years in Inglewood and San Francisco Public Schools. He received his Ph.D. in History from the University of California, Berkeley in 2006. From 2006-2010, he served as Assistant Professor of History at the University of Delaware, while also serving as the Coordinator of the Social Studies Education credential program. Since 2010, he has worked as the Managing Director of Teacher Leadership Development at Teach For America, Hawai'i.
Stephen Butler
Stephen Butler is the CEO and Founder of Pension Dynamics Corporation. He is a graduate of Harvard College and attended the University of California at Berkeley Graduate School of Business Administration. Steve Butler is best known as a leading advocate of retirement plans. He has worked with the Department of Labor to assist in establishing guidelines to ensure full disclosure of fees and services to plan sponsors. He is the author of 2 books on 401(k) plans, The Decision-Maker’s Guide to 401(K) Plans and 401(K) Today. He is the originator of the “Butler Index”, an index of total costs of 401(k) plans that has been featured in articles in the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. He has also co-produced a retirement investment pilot program, which was aired on National Public Television stations throughout the country.
Laney Thornton
Laney Thornton lives in San Francisco where he is a diversified private investor and Trustee of the Thornton Foundations. Laney owns and manages office buildings in San Francisco and invests in public and private equity, including direct venture capital. For twenty years, he as been Co-Founder and Chairman of the Eileen West Clothing Company which also owns Lanz of Salzburg. Prior to that he was Vice-President Finance of one of Northern California’s largest apartment developers and before that Assistant to the President and Loan Officer at Transamerica Mortgage. He has also been a Redevelopment Agency real estate consultant and a strategic management consultant at the Cambridge Research Institute.
Laney’s community activities have included being a committee member of the Harvard Committee on the Environment, a member of the Art and Architecture Accessions Committee of the San Francisco Modern Art Museum and Trustee of San Francisco University High School, Pacific Primary School, and The San Francisco Day School. He is a Trustee Emeritus of the San Francisco Fine Arts Museum and a current Trustee of the Bay Area land use planning organization Greenbelt Alliance, where he is Chair of the Sonoma Leadership Council. Laney is a graduate of Harvard College and the Harvard Business School.
Laney’s community activities have included being a committee member of the Harvard Committee on the Environment, a member of the Art and Architecture Accessions Committee of the San Francisco Modern Art Museum and Trustee of San Francisco University High School, Pacific Primary School, and The San Francisco Day School. He is a Trustee Emeritus of the San Francisco Fine Arts Museum and a current Trustee of the Bay Area land use planning organization Greenbelt Alliance, where he is Chair of the Sonoma Leadership Council. Laney is a graduate of Harvard College and the Harvard Business School.