Kiera Peltz refuses to accept that talent has a zipcode. From being discouraged from computer science in high school to now training over 50,000 students worldwide, she leads with a bold, disruptive vision. As Founder and CEO of The Coding School and the force behind Qubit by Qubit, she’s made quantum computing accessible to students as young as ten. Kiera is reshaping STEM education, ensuring the next generation of innovators—regardless of background—can build the future of technology. Her mission proves that opportunity, not privilege, should determine who shapes tomorrow.

The Social Digest: Kiera, your journey from a student at Brown University to founding The Coding School
is remarkable. What inspired you to start this organization, and how has your diverse
educational background shaped your approach to STEM education?

I did not grow up knowing much about computer science or STEM generally. No one in my family was a scientist or a programmer. Even though math was my favorite subject throughout high school, I wasn’t encouraged to pursue it in college. So I went to college with little interest or knowledge about these areas of study. When I entered college, I planned on majoring in political science, but when I attended a career fair, the majority of recruiters there said the only way I’d be competitive to get an internship at their companies was if I knew how to code. So I decided to enroll in my university’s introductory computer science class. Shortly after I made this decision, some of my friends sat me down and discouraged me from taking the class, saying that it would be too hard. Without learning how to code in high school, they said, I would be too far behind and would end up spending all of my time in the computer lab. I didn’t have the chance of learning how to code prior to coming to Brown. My public high school did not offer any computer science classes. So I decided not to take the class. 

I had come into college thinking all of the doors would be open to me, but because of my background, doors were already closed. I realized that most organizations working in the space of computer science education were providing awareness-based opportunities to introduce students to computer science but were not providing in-depth training in computer science–which is what I knew I would have needed in high school–to be successful in college classes. So I decided to start The Coding School to address this gap and offer long-term, in-depth computer science instruction to K-12 students so all students would have the foundational technical training they needed for their futures.

Despite starting a STEM education organization, my educational background has predominantly focused on the social sciences and humanities. While many people were initially skeptical of why someone like myself was starting a STEM organization, I believe it has been one of The Coding School’s biggest assets. From my bachelor’s degree in political science from Brown University to a master’s degree in sociology from the University of Cambridge to my MBA from Stanford University, each degree placed a massive emphasis on effective communication. In my undergraduate years, I was writing upwards of four papers a week, which helped hone in on my ability to communicate concisely and clearly, especially to those who may not be familiar with the given topic. This has been an important superpower for The Coding School because I have been able to help develop curriculum on difficult topics – like quantum computing – that is easy to understand by everyone, not just those that are STEM-inclined.

The Social Digest: The Coding School has trained over 50,000 students from 125 countries, with 55% from
underrepresented backgrounds. Can you share a specific initiative, like Qubit by Qubit,
that you’re particularly proud of and its impact on students?

Qubit by Qubit is one of my proudest accomplishments both professionally and personally. Qubit by Qubit is an initiative focused on training the future quantum workforce. I’m proud of this initiative for a multitude of reasons. We were the first organization that made quantum computing accessible to students from all backgrounds, starting as young as 10 years old. Before our initiative, most individuals could only learn about quantum computing in PhD programs, elite universities, or online if they had advanced linear algebra and physics knowledge. Most quantum scientists, when they heard what we were doing, told us that making quantum accessible to middle and high school students was not possible, but we persevered anyway and proved to everyone that not only can individuals from all backgrounds learn quantum computing but that they can thrive. So I’m proud of our perseverance in pushing the bounds of what was persevered as possible in STEM education; now, it’s not even a question on whether or not high school students can learn quantum computing, and we made that happen. But moreover, I’m proud of the impact that we’ve had. To date, we have taught over 25,000 students around the world quantum computing. We have high school students who took our Introduction to Quantum Computing course five years ago who are now entering PhD programs, who have said they would have never pursued an advanced degree in quantum if they hadn’t been exposed to it in high school. We’ve had university students change their majors after participating in one of our hackathons or winter schools. We have had current members of the workforce switch jobs because their company were not investing in quantum. We have been able to see first-hand the impact that exposure and in-depth training in quantum computing can make, and I’m proud that we have led this effort in making quantum accessible to learners from all backgrounds.

The Social Digest: As a woman leader in STEM education, what unique challenges have you faced, and
how have you overcome them? What advice would you offer young women aspiring to
lead in STEM fields?

Being a female CEO has been one of the most challenging experiences of my life. I thought because I founded The Coding School and built it from the ground up; that I was the daughter of a low-income single mother without connections or support; that by the age of 25, I was negotiating six- and seven-figure deals with Fortune 500 companies; and moreover, that this was a non-profit focused on an important mission, that I would have credibility in the eyes of my colleagues, peers, and employees. However, I have found that as a woman in a leadership position that I continue to be treated differently than my male peers. My intentions are questioned frequently, and I am often talked back to in a way that men in similar positions would not be. In the past, I would question myself in these situations to understand what I was doing wrong, but as time went on, I had more and more colleagues or friends who had been in the conversation or overheard it tell me how inappropriate the person had behaved and that I was not at fault; I was simply a woman and was being disrespected and questioned for my gender alone. I would not say I have overcome the sexism I have faced — and continue to face. It is a part of my everyday reality. However, I am learning to take it less personally and to realize it is a reflection of them, not me. As long as I continue to lead the way I would like to be led and treat others the way I would like to be treated, I can do little more to influence other people’s perceptions and behaviors.

So for young women who aspire to be leaders in STEM, or leaders in any field, my advice is to develop a strong set of values and a moral code and lead by it. Then develop a group of peers that you trust who are not afraid to push back and tell you when you are wrong so you have people you can go to when you are in a difficult situation and need to know whether you are a fault or not. From there, embrace who you are and lead fearlessly, and never forget, you can be doing everything right and still be criticized. It does not mean you should change your path; it simply means you may need to change who you take on the journey with you.

The Social Digest: Qubit by Qubit is the world’s largest quantum computing education program for high
school students. How did you identify the need for quantum education at this level,
and what has been the response from students and educators?

In 2019, I met up with one of The Coding School’s volunteers, Francisca (Fran) Vasconcelos, who is now a PhD candidate at UC Berkeley. At the time, we were focused on one-on-one and small group computer science instruction. We believe there is not a one-size-fits-all to computer science education, and thus, had developed 16 different curriculums that students could choose from. We had everything from Python basics to computational genomics to deep learning. During our conversation, Fran began advocating for us to develop out a quantum computing curriculum. I had no idea what quantum computing was, but by the end of the conversation, I was convinced quantum computing was the future, and students should be exposed to it. So we set out to create the world’s first quantum computing curriculum for high school students.

The response has been incredible. There has been such an overwhelming interest in quantum over the past six years, and while many students, educators, and parents alike believe “quantum is only for geniuses”, we have been able to show them that is not the case and that every student can learn quantum computing if it is taught well. My belief now is that every high school student should learn quantum computing; with its interdisciplinary nature, combining mathematics, physics, computer science, and engineering, as well as its potential applications in nearly every sector, we have the potential to strengthen students’ STEM skills in a way we never have before.

The Social Digest: You’ve spoken about overcoming skepticism when starting The Coding School. Can you
share a moment when you doubted yourself and how you pushed through it?

It’s funny because I have never doubted myself. However, looking back now, I’m shocked I didn’t question whether or not I was crazy to take on this mammoth of a challenge because in hindsight, there were huge obstacles that needed to be overcome. But I think the reason I did not doubt myself is because I believed in the impact we could have and that far outweighed the risks. I knew how important it was that we reimagined STEM education so the next generation would not be disadvantaged in the ways that I — and my peers — had been by not having quality computer science education or exposure to emerging technologies, and I did not see anyone in the space making any radical changes to the way we were approaching STEM education. I thought it was a much bigger risk to do nothing than it was to take a chance on starting The Coding School. 

I can think of a specific situation that now, in retrospect, was a crazy decision on my end, but I never doubted taking the risk, which thankfully I didn’t because it ended up being one of our greatest success stories. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, we planned on running a two-semester Introduction to Quantum Computing course for about 1,500 high school students. This would be our first time doing many things: teaching an extended course over 26 weeks; teaching so many students at one time; and teaching many new quantum concepts to high school students. When we opened applications for the course, we were flooded with applications from not just high school students but also university students and members of the workforce, which made us realize that quantum computing was not accessible to not just K-12 students but most individuals. Soon, we had close to 25,000 applications and we decided to expand the course to all individuals and enrolled nearly 10,000 students in the course. Now the stakes were much higher: we had thousands of students from so many different backgrounds and walks of life taking a course that we had never taught before in a subject that had never been introduced to individuals at this level before. All the signs pointed to the fact that this was far too ambitious of a  That would be my advice for any young person out there: do things that you believe deep in your soul are so important that they never make you question what you are doing.

The Social Digest: What is the most critical skill or mindset students need to thrive in the future of work,
particularly in emerging technologies?

I don’t think there is anything more important than having a strong work ethic, especially in today’s times. I have always said that I would never be the smartest person in a room, and knowing this, I knew I had to work much harder and be willing to outwork everyone else, and I believe that is what has helped me get to where I am today. In a world filled with instant gratification, it has become easy to cut corners and find ways to do ‘just enough’, and while this may be fine for a while, it will catch up to you. Working hard is like a muscle, and the more you exercise it, the stronger you become. Those who learn how to put in the time, even in the short-term when you may not see the results, will ultimately come out ahead. 

The Social Digest: For young girls and women interested in STEM but unsure about their path, what
message or advice would you share to inspire them to pursue their dreams?

We need more young girls and women to step outside of their comfort zones and become comfortable with the uncomfortable. I always say: do things that no one can take away from you. Technology touches everything in our lives. Even if you do not know exactly what you want to do, developing in-depth STEM skills will serve you, irrespective of the field you go into. Technical skills will only become more relevant and powerful for whatever career path you embark on so do not let your uncertainty hold you back. Instead, dive right in. Learn how to code, develop expertise in emerging and deep technologies, reach out to researchers working in these spaces and ask for a coffee chat. Being able to speak the language of technology will set you apart. 

This interview was conducted by Ansh C Vachhani, The Social Digest on 20/10/2025. If you have any interview recommendations or have a story that you want to share with our readers, get in touch with our editor Vedant Bhrambhatt, at editor@thesocialdigest.com