Welcome Karina Hernandez and Kaitlyn Peters to the 3DE Junior Achievement Team!

We are thrilled to welcome two outstanding professionals, Karina Hernandez and Kaitlyn Peters, to the Junior Achievement team as we launch 3DE by Junior Achievement in Marshalltown!

Author: Seherzada Devedzic
Community Involvement
Published: Monday, 07 Jul 2025

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Image caption: Welcome Karina and Kaitlyn to the 3DE Team

As part of this exciting initiative, Karina and Kaitlyn will support the implementation of 3DE at Marshalltown High School. Their work will play a vital role in delivering immersive, hands-on learning experiences that connect education to students’ long-term goals and aspirations.

Meet our new team members:

Image caption: Karina Hernandez, 3DE School and Partnership Manager

Karina Hernandez, 3DE School and Partnership Manager

Karina Hernandez moved to Marshalltown from Los Angeles, California. She attended William Penn University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in education with an ESL endorsement. Karina is married and has three children. With a passion for education, she has worked over 25 years in creating and engaging in different learning environments for children and parents of Marshalltown. Karina is known for her ability to connect with students and families to provide knowledge, skills, and guidance. Karina enjoys volunteering for Immigrant Allies of Marshalltown and is active participant of the Marshall County Community Coalition and Building Diversity in Leadership. For the past 8 years, Karina has also been a Marshalltown school board member working to improve student achievement.

Karina is the new 3DE School and Partnership Manager for Junior Achievement of Central Iowa. In this role, Karina will collaborate with the Marshalltown Community School District to support the implementation of the 3DE instructional model at Marshalltown High School by working closely with students, teachers, and local business professionals. In her role, she will foster relationships within the school and community, coordinating resources and experiences that will elevate student development.

Image caption: Kaitlyn Peters, 3DE Case Experience Director

Kaitlyn Peters, 3DE Case Experience Director
Kaitlyn Peters began her career in education as a science teacher, a role she held for eight years before serving as an instructional coach for the past three years. She holds a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master's in teaching both from Iowa State University. Through both roles, she developed a deep passion for supporting teachers and helping students engage in meaningful learning. Outside of work, Kaitlyn enjoys spending time with her husband, Nick, and their two daughters, Emery (8) and Elliott (4).

Kaitlyn is excited to partner with educators to implement 3DE in ways that feel authentic to their classrooms, students, and content areas. As the Case Experience Director, Kaitlyn will work with case partners and educators to enhance the effectiveness of the case- based lessons through comprehensive planning, tailored teaching methods, and fostering strong teacher-student relationships.

We’re excited to have Karina and Kaitlyn on board and look forward to the meaningful impact they’ll have on students, educators, and the entire Marshalltown community.

Welcome to the team!

Learn More about 3DE:

3DE re-engineers high school education to be more relevant, experiential, and authentically connected to the complexities of the real world. By infusing business connectivity into every aspect of learning, 3DE deepens students’ understanding, sustains their engagement, and helps them apply academic concepts in ways that build real-life skills.

Through this innovative approach, students in Marshalltown will not only enhance their retention of knowledge but also develop the confidence and skills needed to succeed in school, career, and life.